Intimates Encounter
by melcon
Summary: Aoshi has been avoiding his sister Megumi's attempts to set him up with a new friend of hers. But after Misao crash-lands on Aoshi in Victoria's Secret and he finds out that she will be a bridesmaid and he the attendant groomsman, avoidance is futile.
1. Negligees and Negligence

**Author's note: I am breaking a cardinal rule for me which is "Don't start a new fanfiction until you have finished the one you were working on." But the Writing Muse strikes at the most inopportune times, and today it was at Victoria's Secret, so I simply had to bang this chapter out. I am posting it up now as a taster, and I will get back to it once _Airship Assassin_ is done (which will be pretty soon). What do you guys think? Like it? Hate it? Read and review please and keep your eyes peeled - I'll leave this alone for a bit but will get back on it once I am done with _Airship Assassin_!**

_If anyone from the dojo sees me, I am killing them before they have a chance to laugh_, Aoshi promised himself as he stood grimly in the middle of the store, grudgingly clutching Megumi's purse and trying not to knock over the endless displays of lacy bras, panties, and a lot of undergarments he did not have names for, unless "uselessly skimpy" and "how the hell does that stay on?" figured into the equation. The entire store was a violent explosion of pink, eye-watering perfumes, and gigantic pictures of emaciated women with pneumatic lips and breasts who were pouting and twisting their bodies into painful-looking yoga contortions.

Megumi was pushing through a rack of white tissue and lace, some outfits that were arguably smaller than the exorbitant price tags hanging from them. Against his better judgment, Aoshi sneaked a glance at one of the tags and was suitably appalled. "Ninety-eight dollars? For what, precisely? Wouldn't going naked have the same effect and for free?" he muttered to himself.

"Oh, stop grumbling," Megumi said. "You know I'm getting married in six months and I have to stock up for the honeymoon. Plus, Victoria's Secret is having a sale."

"Yes, but couldn't you have done this alone or with Kaoru?" Aoshi questioned tiredly. "Surely another woman would be better at helping you decide which...whatever the hell that thing is...looks best."

An impish expression crossed Megumi's face. "But don't you know that what women think men like is often a lot different than what men really like, so who better to ask than a man?" She held up two scraps of lace, pointless straps dangling from them. Aoshi could see right through the damned things, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Now, which one do you think Sano would like better?" she asked innocently.

Aoshi's brain shut down at this point. He still hadn't quite wrapped his head around the fact that his baby sister, the only sibling he had, was getting married. Despite her stunning looks, Megumi had stayed away from men, too intent on her medical studies to have much interest in chasing guys, and Aoshi had seen to it that any potential suitors went fleeing. No damned guy was getting his filthy hands all over Aoshi's sister. But she had finally finished her medical degree and was almost done with residency and then Sano had come strolling into the ER, sporting an effusion of cuts and bruises from a motorcycle accident and that had been it. Aoshi had tried his best to run the jerk off, but the persistent bastard kept coming back and hanging around and had finally talked Megumi into a date. That lead to another and another and now there was a diamond sparkling on Megumi's finger.

Not that he exactly despised the guy, Aoshi admitted to himself. Sano could be cock-sure but his vintage motorcycle repair business was going strong enough to net him a comfortable income and despite his wild-boy attitude, he was clearly devoted to Megumi. Still...Aoshi would have preferred his sister settling down with a brain surgeon or lawyer or someone better fitting her grace and poise. He had thought about simply killing Sano and leaving his body in an undisclosed location, but he had finally settled for threatening the brawler within an inch of his life if he didn't treat Megumi with the utmost honor and respect and had also subjected the lady in question to a similar lecture, one of several for them both. It helped that Aoshi and Megumi shared the same house; he could keep a close eye on her and break up any makeout sessions he happened to stumble upon. As far as he could tell, Sano had kept his word and kept his hands to himself but the wedding was fast approaching and...was she actually going to wear one of those ridiculous garments? Unbidden, Aoshi's mind conjured up an image of Megumi decked out in a lacy little number with Sano leering at her, and his entire brain overheated and crashed. Shaking his head, he choked back to urge to drop everything and go hunt Sano down to kill him.

A push brought him back to the present as Megumi shoved an armful of lace and satin into his arms. "Here, hold these. I want to go try some things on." She disappeared, leaving him alone and holding a pile of lingerie if it was actively infectious. The store seemed to close in on him and a quick glance around told him that currently he was the only male present. The sales clerks that walked past gave him knowing little smiles, and Aoshi was beginning to contemplate dropping his armful on the nearest desk and storming out of the store. _The things I do for my sister,_ he thought irritably.

Motion caught his eye, and Aoshi looked across the room to see a tiny young woman perched on a rickety ladder changing a display on a high shelf. Aoshi frowned. The ladder was precarious and not tall enough for her; she was stretched up on her toes as she nimbly moved items around. He had a premonition and moved forward, alert for a potential catastrophe. His instincts proved him correct for as he stepped towards the girl, the ladder shifted, then collapsed under her pointed toes.

"Awwwp!" the young woman cried out and one hand thrashed about, grabbing at the shelf as Aoshi dropped everything and charged forward. Most unfortunately, she managed to seize a handful of decorative silk that was sitting underneath a small mannequin, some high-heeled shoes, and other items and as Aoshi caught her in his arms, she pulled the items down with her. Aoshi sensed the incoming projectiles and, balling the girl up in his arms, rolled forward, dodging out of the way as the decorations crashed to the ground.

The girl felt boneless in his arms and as he rolled around and crouched to the ground, shielding her from any other falling items, she didn't move until he had straightened up and asked her roughly, "Are you okay?"

"Fine, thanks. Great reflexes by the way." Aoshi let her go and was surprised to see a pair of brilliant blue eyes staring up at him. Way the heck up at him. Looking down at her, he was astonished at how tiny she was.

The store erupted in cheers and babbles of concern as several sales clerks rushed forward to deal with the disaster and began cooing over Aoshi's bravery. He eyed their praises warily. There were staring at him in an appraising manner, gleams of interest in their eyes. Warily turning his back, he moved to scoop up the items he had dropped.

"Aoshi, what's all the noise...Oh, hi Misao!" Megumi suddenly appeared at Aoshi's side and was smiling broadly at the tiny young woman with the very long braid down her back.

"Hi Megumi! Shopping for the wedding?" she responded.

"Of course, time to stock up. Misao, have you met my brother, Aoshi?" Megumi indicated Aoshi who had retrieved the spilled pile of needlessly expensive lace and tulle along with Megumi's purse and was glowering unhappily over the mound of intimates.

"Well, I just spend an exciting minute in his arms," the girl responded impishly and Megumi's eyes opened wide in happy surprise.

Aoshi's face darkened, "I was just..." he began but Misao's bright smile suddenly killed the words on his lips.

"Just joking," Misao moved forward to take the damned underthings from Aoshi. "I was stupid enough to fall off a ladder, and your brother here gallantly caught me." Her hand brushed against his arm as she scooped up the lingerie, and an unexpected jolt of energy ran along his skin as she did so.

"That's my brother, always looking out for everyone," Megumi responded. "So how's your classes going?" The two women broke into the high-pitched, excited tones that Aoshi had noticed women resorted to when talking to each other and after listening to it for a few seconds, he interrupted their verbal volley.

"I think I will get us something to drink, Megumi. Here, take your purse." He shoved the Coach bag back in her arms and nodded curtly at Misao. "Nice to meet you. Just be more careful on ladders next time." Without waiting for a response, he strode out of the store and stalked towards the food court. By the time Megumi finally emerged from the store, Aoshi had worked his way through an Orange Julius and a newspaper and had a rather watered-down Diet Coke waiting for his sister.

Slipping into her seat, Megumi set several suspiciously pink bags down on the floor. Aoshi did not even want to guess at what they contained. Pointedly, he looked at the Coke and said, "I'll get you another one if this is too flat."

"It's fine," Megumi sipped it daintily and looked at her brother. "So what did you think of Misao? Nice isn't she?"

"Misao. Wait, _that _was Misao?" Aoshi's brows furrowed as Megumi gave him an innocent smile. "Meg," he rumbled threateningly.

"What?" she said back.

"That was a setup, wasn't it?" Aoshi scowled. "You knew she was working today."

Megumi took another dainty sip. "I needed lingerie and it was the semiannual sale at Victoria's Secret, nothing more."

Aoshi sniffed, "You've always been a bad liar, little sister." She was. Megumi could never hide anything from him, particularly after over 26 years of living together. They had both left their parents behind in Honolulu eight years ago to come to the landlocked, windswept town of Omaha, NE: Megumi on a full-ride scholarship to medical school at Creighton and Aoshi for a position at Sullivan & Smith, one of the most prestigious law firms in the Midwest. The shockingly cold winters and lack of beaches had been a cruel adjustment, but they had both survived and come to love the Midwestern town they now called home. Aoshi had bought a house right away and had watched over his younger sister with a careful eye. They were second-generation Japanese immigrants, and the old ways died hard. Aoshi had been born in Tokyo and had carried the old ideas of honor and family duty with him. Most annoyingly, Megumi was starting to return the favor as of late and had taken to nagging him constantly about working too much and never having any fun, spending too much of his scanty free time at the dojo, not sleeping enough, _ad nauseum_. It was really starting to get on his nerves.

Watching Megumi closely, Aoshi could tell she was going to start up on it again. He was right: Megumi gave a bright smile and said cannily, "It was just a happy coincidence that Misao happened to be working that day; how nice that you got to meet her."

"I got to catch her," Aoshi corrected his sister. "She didn't have enough sense to find a decent ladder."

Megumi laughed, "Oh, Misao's a bit of a daredevil. She probably used that old ladder on purpose to test out her ninja skills." The last few words were delivered with raised eyebrows and a knowing smirk.

Aoshi refused to take the bait. "Some ninja skills. If she had trained properly, she wouldn't have fallen." But he remembered how Misao had reacted to the event. When he had caught the girl, her body was loose and flexible, not rigid and panicked as most people would be in the middle of a free-fall. She had rolled with him, not fighting as he snatched her up and out of harm's way. Which meant, well, it didn't matter. Really.

Reaching for the paper he had already thoroughly scoured, Aoshi flicked it in front of his face, pointedly blocking out his sister. A wet straw appeared in the middle, punching through a dismal article about the ongoing conflict in Libya. "Nope, you're not ignoring me, big brother. Talk to me."

Aoshi sighed and set the punctured paper back down. "About what?" he said. There was no distracting Megumi when she had something on her mind.

"About Misao, of course!" Megumi said impatiently. "What did you think of her?"

"Megumi, I barely exchanged three words with the woman," he growled. "So excuse me if I am not quite ready to propose marriage yet."

Megumi put on her best fake hurt expression. Blinking her soulful eyes, she said softly. "I just want you to be happy. Is that such a bad thing?"

_Dammit_. If he didn't watch it, she was going to start tearing up on him. It got him every time. "I am happy, Meg," he tried to soften his voice. "I have you, why wouldn't I be happy?" The second the words left his mouth, his lawyer brain screamed at him for blurting out such a weak argument and he wasn't wrong: Megumi pounced on the poor logic like a squirrel on an unguarded peanut.

"But in six months, you won't have me. I'll be with Sano. Who will cook for you?" She reached out and touched his hand gently. "Who will watch movies and eat pizza with you? It'll be just you and that big house all to yourself." A corner of her eye twitched, and he watched in alarm, dreading the tear that was just itching to slide down her cheek.

"Meg, I can take care of myself, you know that. I'm not going to wander around the house an unfed, shabby, lonely shell of a man without you. You're working 70 hours a week with your residency and are not around a lot anyway, so clearly I can survive without your constant doting presence."

"But, 'Shi, you're thirty now. You've made partner. Isn't it time you _found_ a partner?"

Aoshi sighed again. It's not that he was adamantly opposed to finding a nice, interesting woman. He was a man after all. But with Sullivan & Smith demanding anywhere from 60-80 hours of his time everyday and a house that loved to develop leaking pipes, mysterious gaps around the doors, weed infestations in the garden and any number of problems, there simply wasn't time and what little time he did have was spent training in the dojo or the small practice area he had created in the basement. It was a rare day when he didn't get in at least an hour of practice, and usually it was three or more on the weekends. All and all, it added up to a full schedule, which made it hard to meet women. Or at least, he scowled, women of the non-gold digging type. Somehow the words, "I'm a partner" seemed to translate into female as "Prime target". Aoshi could spot those types a mile away and sadly, those seemed to be the only types he encountered these days.

Giving his sister a hard eye, he said, "Besides, how old is this girl anyway, fifteen?"

"She's twenty-six and is almost finished with her master's in chemical engineering," Megumi said a little hotly. "I know she's small, but she's not a kid, Aoshi. She's actually quite brilliant."

"Chemical engineering, huh?" Despite himself, Aoshi was slightly impressed. "Then why is she working in a lingerie store?"

"She's just there on the weekends to make a little extra money," Megumi shot back defensively. "She's a graduate teaching assistant but the pay is terrible so she works at Victoria's Secret on the side, especially during their big sales." Glowering at her brother, she said, "She's a fine person, Aoshi. Stop being so damned picky."

"I'm not picky," Aoshi replied. Seeing Megumi's cup was empty, he picked it up and went to the fountain to refill it and throw his empty one away. Setting the fresh Diet Coke back down in front of his sister, he glared narrowly at her. Megumi seemed to have composed herself somewhat and that sneaky, foxy expression was back on her face. Warily he looked at her. He knew that expression and it never boded well.

Picking up the soda cup, Megumi took a long sip, then announced casually, "Well, you might as well learn a little more about her because you two are going to be spending a lot of time together in the future."

"And why is that?" Aoshi lowered himself back into his seat.

"Because she is going to be one of my bridesmaids," Megumi announced.

"Lovely," Aoshi responded. Feeling inevitability kicking him in the face, he said tiredly, "And may I ask who her lucky attendant is or should I simply guess?"

"Why you, of course," Megumi smiled. Pouting her full lips at her brother, she said, "You two will look adorable together; she's so tiny and you're so tall." The canny look turned wicked. "Mother and Father will be so proud."

That last comment hit below the belt. Their parents had been nagging him for years to find a nice Japanese girl, but they were several states and an entire ocean away so had been relatively easy to ignore. Megumi, however, had taken up position as Nagger in Resident and the three of them together at the wedding...Aoshi sighed.

He didn't have a snowcone's chance in a blast furnace. His only hope was that Misao was as disinterested in him as he was in her. But remembering the bright gleam in her eye and the brush of her skin against his arm...

Maybe he could find a boyfriend for Misao in the ensuing six months. Surely someone at the firm would do.

It was going to be a _long_ six months.


	2. Ravioli and Revelations

**Author's note: since this story contains a chemical engineer and a lawyer, I had to do some research to get some plot issues nailed down so I asked my dad who knows everything about everything. My dad's response was, "A lawyer and a chemical engineer? Kill them both!" So therefore I have the whole story worked out: here it is. **

_**Misao and Aoshi died in each other arms, whispering faintly of their undying love for each other. The End. **_

**What? You want a real story? Okay, fine, here's a stinkin' chapter. This one is dedicated to Glorious Prank whose loves reading fanfict to chase away the stresses of college. Hang in there, Glorious Prank, and hopefully this chapter makes you feel a little better!**

Wet snow slapped against Aoshi's coat and dripped down his collar as he quickly locked his Saab 9-3 convertible, breathing a quick threat to the soft top if it even considered leaking, and headed grudgingly towards Spezia's. Wind flapped the tails of his white overcoat around his legs as he picked his way across the slushy sidewalk, his thoughts as dark as the night sky looming over his head.

Inside the restaurant, pungent garlic and soft classical music hung in the air and Megumi stood by the front desk, a vision in an elegant black cocktail dress with a hem and neckline a little too abbreviated for Aoshi's approval, particularly the v-neck front. He would have stared at it pointedly if doing so wouldn't have been rather awkward. Ignoring his sister's partially revealed assets, Aoshi stepped towards her. "Thanks for dropping me off at the front, big brother," she said, slipping the coat from his shoulders to hand it to the coat check.

Aoshi gave a non-committal shrug. "Where's Sano?"

Megumi rolled her eyes, "Last I heard it was finishing up an emergency commission for a customer. The next I hear it may be the hospital calling me to come patch him up after I finish killing him for being late..."

The door swung open again and the man in question swaggered inside, melting snowflakes beading off his well-worn leather jacket and cocky grin plastered across his face. "There's my fox," he said, his eyes narrowing in approval as he whistled appreciatively at Megumi. "Who's looking particularly foxy tonight."

Aoshi glowered darkly at his sister as her irritated expression melted away to be replaced with a happy, girlish grin and she moved towards Sano, eyes bright and a suggestive swing to her hips. Sano took his time wrapping her in his arms for a long kiss, pointedly ignoring the other customers and his scowling soon-to-be brother-in-law until Aoshi finally broke up the smooching by loudly announcing, "Our table's ready, Meg, and we have guests waiting." Reluctantly, Megumi untangled herself marginally from Sano but the pair managed to walk through the restaurant with arms wrapped around waists, bonded at the hip while Aoshi stalked in front of them.

The back room had been set aside for an engagement party composed of various friends, many of whom were going to be in the wedding, and guests had begun streaming into the elegant room and swooping down on the bar. Some of the attendees were friends of Aoshi and Megumi's, composed mainly of fellow lawyers and medical professionals while the rowdier half of the room was Sano's buddies, tattoos and leather clothing making a strong showing. Tsunan Tsukioka, Sano's best friend, was already working the crowd, keeping a sharp eye out for any moderately attractive female he had yet to meet and flirting up a storm.

Aoshi scanned the room and groaned inwardly as a high-pitched female laugh caught his ear. _Shura. Perfect_. One of five bridesmaids, Shura had met Megumi in a freshman composition class and the two had remained friends. Despite the years he had know Shura, Aoshi had always eyed her warily and avoided her as much as he could. A senior marketing executive, Shura was as aggressive at pursuing handsome, wealthy men as she was showcasing a new product, and she had made it rather clear to Aoshi on a number of occasions that she would be more than happy to add him to her lengthy list of conquests. Luckily, she rarely went long without finding a gullible sucker to wind her claws around and Aoshi had thus far escaped unscathed, but rumor had it that she was back on the market; from the bright flash in her eye, like a cat eying a particularly tasty bird, and the keen way she scanned the room, Aoshi instantly guessed that the rumor was true. A flash of red hair caught his attention and he looked up, thankful to see Kenshin standing quietly a few feet away from Kaoru.

Megumi had met Kaoru a few months before Sano came strutting into her emergency room and with Kaoru's acquaintance had come Kenshin, her boyfriend. While Aoshi had few friends and was slow to call someone that, Kaoru and Kenshin were moving nicely in that direction, particularly Kenshin. Both men shared a deep commitment to martial arts and had similar business interests; Aoshi's firm specialized in environmental cases and Kenshin was an environmental architect for the top sustainable construction company in Omaha and their mutual professional interests had created respect between the two. Kaoru, a freelance writer with a growing dojo to manage, had also made an impression on Aoshi and he was grateful for her friendship towards his sister. In fact, it had been Kaoru who had one day quietly pulled Aoshi aside and tried to set his mind at ease about his sister's new beau, stating that the man in question was utterly loyal and trustworthy. Aoshi hadn't instantly warmed to Sano after that, but he had stopped trying to run the tattooed biker off. For the most part.

Although the party was just getting started, Kaoru and Tsunan were well into a flaming roast of Sano; both of them had been friends with the good-natured brawler for several years and were sparing no mercy in thoroughly abusing him in front of everyone, with Sano laughing at their verbal trashing louder than anyone else. Kenshin was smiling at their jokes and adding a few well-placed comments of his own, but he turned his head towards Aoshi and nodded as the tall man moved smoothly towards him.

"Hello, Aoshi, how are things at the firm?" Kenshin inquired.

"Rather grueling right now," Aoshi responded and lifted a flute of champagne off a passing tray. "Any new setbacks on the Freeman building?" he asked.

Kenshin smiled thinly, "Only OSHA threatening us with instant execution because three CFL bulbs broke yesterday..." He trailed off as both men shifted into alert, sensing danger. They weren't wrong, Shura had spotted them and was zeroing in like a heat-seeking missile, hips wiggling inside her designer couture dress like they were trying frantically to escape and Jimmy Choo's clicking loudly, beating out a warning alarm that Aoshi had every intention of heeding.

Aoshi and Kenshin gave each other a brief look and nodded faintly. Shura pushed around the end of the table, clearly bent on going in for the kill but stopped abruptly, brow wrinkling in puzzlement as her two masculine targets were suddenly not there anymore as if they had vanished into the ground.

Smirking, Aoshi stood at the other end of the room, clutching the champagne flute and watching Shura's confusion across the artfully lighted room. Intense training in martial arts came in quite handy in the most uncanny of circumstances. Unfortunately, he was too tall to hide effectively behind the steadily-growing crowd of excited party-goers for long. Kenshin, on the other hand...A light chuckle sounded at his elbow. "Even if I was not dating Kaoru, that one is too expensive for my blood, I think," the shorter man looked amused.

"That's putting it mildly," Aoshi responded but the mingling was beginning to break up as people headed for seats, intent on shrimp scampi and cheese tortellini, not to mention the restaurant's famous wine list. Some finagling and outright bossiness on Megumi's part ensured that Aoshi ended up sitting to her left but one chair over, leaving an empty one between them that Aoshi surmised was for Misao who had not yet arrived. Luckily, Kenshin was on his left and Shura was safely tucked away at the other end of the table, flirting madly with Tsunan who was returning it with vigor. Despite the odd mixture of doctors, bikers, lawyers, and other professions, everyone seemed to be mingling quite well, especially once the second round of champagne made its appearance.

The sound of clicking heels echoed faintly over the laughter and sizzles of continued Sano-roasting as Misao hurried into the room and swooped down on Megumi. Aoshi could dimly hear her apologizing for something to the bride-to-be, then she pulled out the seat next to him. A slender, shapely leg crawling out from under the hem of a short skirt and ending in a dangerously pointy stiletto slid across the chair; Aoshi was surprised to find himself a trifle disappointed as it disappeared under the table and then he was irritated for being disappointed.

_She's still impossibly short even with those ridiculous shoes, _Aoshi groused to himself as Misao gave him a bright smile.

"Hi, Aoshi! Catch any falling maidens in distress lately?" she teased.

"Hello, Misao," Aoshi answered slowly and followed the greeting with a dutiful, "How are you?" Megumi had manipulated him into sitting next to Misao, so he wasn't particularly inclined towards chattiness, but ignoring the girl would have been rude.

"Oh, okay." Misao gave a dismissive twitch of her narrow shoulders, the royal blue of her dress setting off the creaminess of her skin, but Aoshi saw dark circles under her eyes that traces of concealer were doing a poor job of hiding. Despite her animated expression, there was a tiredness about her aura, but Misao gave him another dazzling smile and said cheerfully, "So, Megumi tells me you're a lawyer?"

"Yes, at Sullivan & Smith," Aoshi responded. An eyebrow twitched as if Misao was trying to recall something, then the smile left her face.

"Something wrong?" Aoshi questioned as Misao turned her attention to her water glass.

Misao picked the glass up and said, "Well...I've done two internships at AgriChem and have a job lined up there when I graduate this May. You guys haven't exactly been making things easy for us."

_The understatement of the century,_ Aoshi thought to himself with a sigh. His firm was currently locked in a vicious brawl between a large group of concerned, mad Omaha citizens and AgriChem, an agriculture and food manufacturer who had over the past few years taken to dumping excess high fructose corn syrup into the Missouri river a few miles upstream from where the water treatment plant pumped in water to purify. While AgriChem had maintained fairly stringent regulations about properly disposing hazardous chemicals and purifying the copious waste water they dumped in the river, they were arguing that the corn syrup was harmless. The clients of Sullivan & Smith disagreed and a gargantuan battle started. AgriChem was rich and had a lot of lawyers, but many of the citizens were rich and some _were_ lawyers, so both parties were facing a very long, drawn-out courtroom brawl, providing job security at Sullivan & Smith for years to come. Aoshi himself was not directly responsible for the case but worked closely with the lawyers who were. _Great, of course Misao __**has**__ to be linked with AgriChem, _Aoshi groaned to himself. _Being a chemical engineering student, she probably was directly involved in the situation if not the lawsuit itself. Lovely. _

Aloud, Aoshi said, "I could say the same thing for you. AgriChem has not exactly made things easy for the good citizens of Omaha."

Misao set her glass back down with a thump and her eyes flashed, "Do you know that Omaha Airport has been pumping raw sewage into both the Missouri and Carter Lake for years and you guys are going after us about _syrup_? Come on. Did you know that AgriChem actually receives high ratings for our standards in water purity? Yeah, we dump a lot of stuff in the river but we make damned sure that it's clean before we do."

"Yet you release obesogens into the environment," Aoshi frowned.

"Chemically, high fructose corn syrup is the _exact_ same thing as sugar," Misao shot back. "And trace amounts of it in the water..."

"Are disrupting the natural ecology of the river and are influential in the declining Missouri river sturgeon population not to mention that Omaha's water treatment facilities cannot remove high fructose corn syrup from the water and thus it is passed onto citizens. Bear in mind that childhood obesity in Omaha grew by 8% in the last year alone and diabetes have gone up also."

"Omaha's water treatment facilities haven't been updated in twenty years," Misao answered heatedly. Around them, lively conversations and Sano-abusing were continuing at a merry pitch while the two seatmates eyed each other angrily, a chill falling over their section of the table. "So that means people are drinking nitrates and ammonia from farm runoff, not to mention all the petroleum hydrocarbons, pathogens, and other crap that pours out every time people turn their faucets on. You really want to protect the good citizens of Omaha? Then you tell them to demand that the city stop spending $128 million on a new baseball stadium when we had a perfectly good one and instead build us a new water treatment facility, one that actually gives us clean, safe water. That will..."

A cellphone chirped somewhere under the table, and Misao dove for it frantically. Flipping it open, she said said in a rush, "Sarah? Is Gramps...? Oh, okay...You what...? Oh gosh, is he okay?...Yeah, I understand. Don't worry, I'm on my way home." She slid the phone back into her purse and gave Aoshi a hard look as she mumbled in a rush, "I gotta go, bye." Leaning towards Megumi, Misao muttered something in her ear and Megumi jerked away, then looked at Misao with concern. Misao patted her on the arm as she hurried out of her chair and rushed out of the room, leaving an empty seat and a scowling Aoshi behind.

* * *

><p>"What were you and Misao squabbling about?" Megumi demanded as the Saab pulled away from the parking lot. It was late and both siblings were well-satiated on pasta, garlic, and wine, the remains of their feast sitting in a take-out box on Megumi's lap.<p>

Aoshi kept his eyes on the road. The temperature had dropped and the roads were slick with ice. Around him, other drivers were falling into the two standard Omaha driving attitudes towards snowy, icy roads: either crawling forward in a panic at fifteen miles an hour or excitedly viewing the slick streets as a personal test of reflexes and tire tread durability. Moving carefully around a car that was going with the first option, Aoshi said curtly, "We are both involved in opposite ends of a legal battle."

"Oh," Megumi responded, and yawned. Midnight was fast approaching and both siblings had put in a long day. "You didn't have to talk shop, you know."

"She brought it up," Aoshi grunted.

Megumi reached out and patted her brother fondly on the knee. "I'd go easy on her, 'Shi. She's going through a pretty rough time right now. Her grandfather just had an ischemic cerebral vascular accident last week resulting in right hemaperisis..."

"English, Dr. Shinomori," Aoshi reminded her wearily. After years of listening to his sister bitch about medical school and various patients, he had built up a pretty good medical vocabulary, but Megumi still had a tendency to lapse into incomprehensible doctor's speech when she was not paying attention.

"Sorry. Her grandfather had a fairly significant stroke and is now partially paralyzed on his right side."

"She is close to her grandfather?" Aoshi questioned.

"Misao's an orphan, Aoshi," Megumi replied quietly. "Her parents died in a car accident when she was ten and her grandfather took her in. He's all the family she has."

Aoshi digested this. Ever since their lingerie adventure a few weeks ago, he and Megumi had barely seen each other, both too busy with work and Megumi with wedding plans to chat much aside from mumbled good-mornings over hurried cups of coffee. Being a doctor, Megumi was keenly interested in the health of the people she knew and usually kept Aoshi informed as well, whether he liked it or not. It said something to how little he had seen his sister lately that he was unaware of what had happened to Misao's grandfather. Remembering Misao's disguised tiredness, he realized its cause and felt a little abashed.

"What is his prognosis?" he asked.

Megumi smiled. "Okina's a tough old bird. I saw him a few times when he was in the hospital, and by the second day he was demanding to go home. Misao said that he's already driving her crazy because he's determined to be back to full strength in two weeks. He's not going to recover quite that fast but the stubborn goat will probably outlive all of us."

Megumi rearranged herself in her seat. "Okina was in the hospital for a few days but kept threatening to wheel himself out if we didn't release him. However, his paralysis is keeping him from being able to take care of himself, so Misao is having a neighbor lady come over whenever she's gone. In fact, Misao was going to skip out tonight but Okina told her she needed a night out. However, apparently the neighbor's little boy suddenly came down sick and she wanted to go home to take care of him, so that's why Misao left. Okina really shouldn't be left alone until he has recovered a little more."

"I see," Aoshi replied slowly. "That is good that she takes such care of her grandfather."

"Misao's like that. She's a loyal person," Megumi yawned again and then leaned her head back against the headrest as Aoshi carefully directed the car across the dark, icy roads towards home, both occupants falling into silence with their own thoughts.

**PS – Full disclosure: I live in Omaha and many of the places in this story are real. But the events are totally made up, so please don't sue me. Or I'll sick Aoshi on you. However, what I said about Omaha drivers is totally true. **


	3. Pizza and PeaceMaking

The estrogen hit Aoshi as he pushed the door open, bringing in a flurry of snow with him as he walked into the house. The smell of pizza and the blabber of a TV at full blast announced the reason for the two extra cars parked outside in the street: Girls' Night In. His normally tidy living room was awash in pizza boxes, half-empty bowls of chocolate ice cream, several fashion magazines, open makeup bags, and a cornucopia of nail polish bottles lined up on the coffee table. The four females responsible for the clutter were sprawled across the room in various poses of recline, involved in other activities and only giving cursory attention to the jabbering television.

"Hi 'Shi!" Megumi greeted her brother. She was sitting primly on the couch, feet tucked daintily under her as she ran a brush through Tae's hair. Tae was Megumi's oldest Omaha friend and the maid of honor, and she gave Aoshi a shy little smile and waved. He gave her a small smile back; Tae was a kind woman and he was always pleased to see her. Kaoru was stretched across the floor stroking a violent shade of orange onto her fingernails; a foot waggled in greeting towards him as she looked up, and he saw that her toes were the exact same toxic sludge color. Briefly he wondered what Kenshin would make of the polish when he next saw Kaoru. Misao was curled up on the loveseat, braid hanging like a thick rope over the armrest and a book propped up on her chest, but she seemed blind to his appearance and kept her blue eyes behind the covers of what looked like _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. _

_No Shura, thankfully, _Aoshi thought to himself. Aloud, he said "Evening, ladies," as he peered at the TV. "_Dancing With the Stars_ party?"

"Yup, want some pizza, Aoshi? Pizza Hut had a special and we ordered way too much," Kaoru said, a wet nail polish brush with a blob of radioactive material dangling from the tip bobbling alarmingly in her hand as she spoke. Aoshi watched warily, hoping that she wouldn't drip it on the cream-colored carpet.

"No thanks, I ate dinner with a client," Aoshi responded. "Enjoy yourselves." Turning away from the painful sight of two celebutards bouncing across the stage and the feminine mess scattered across his living room, he disappeared upstairs to change out of his tailored suit into a t-shirt and white gi pants. As he did, his thoughts kept circling annoyingly to Misao. Come to think of it, the tiny slip of a girl had been invading his thoughts on a fairly regular basis since their squabble two weeks ago, and it aggravated him to no end. He couldn't help but feel...well, guilty wasn't the right word. He hadn't said anything that was exactly harsh or rude during their last conversation, and Misao herself certainly hadn't been all that tactful herself. In fact, he was slightly irritated that she was both invading his house and had pointedly ignored him when he walked in. But Megumi's words kept echoing in his head and he could not shake the feeling that he hadn't behaved in quite the right manner towards Misao, especially considering the circumstances she was dealing with.

Trying to shrug off the uncomfortable thoughts, Aoshi left his room and headed for the small dojo in his basement, gratefully shutting out the noise of the television and the high-pitched squeal of four females who had clearly consumed more chocolate and sugar than was healthy for them. He had just finished up with a warm-up exercise when he heard the sound of the basement door opening quietly and light footsteps padding towards him.

"Hey, Aoshi." To his surprise, Misao stepped down from the staircase, lips twisted in a thoughtful frown. He stopped and looked at her curiously, not exactly sure why she had sought him out. Frowning a trifle, he crossed his hands over his chest and waited.

Misao drew herself up to as much height as she could muster, which meant the top of her head could have neatly fit under his arm, and said, "Look, we kinda got off on the wrong foot last time we met. Actually, come to think of it both times. Crash-landing on someone isn't really the best way to make a good impression," a small smile twitched on her face.

"It's..." Aoshi began, but Misao cut him off.

"I'm going through some rough patches lately and haven't been all that nice. Plus, I really should have kept my big mouth shut about the case. My supervisor would probably have my head if he knew I said anything. Heck, I haven't even been at AgriChem for a few months and have no idea what's going on there right now. So...um..."

"I should not have said anything about the case either," Aoshi finished for her. "Don't worry about it, Misao." He paused for a moment and a very awkward silence filled the basement. "How is your grandfather?" he finally added.

"Getting better," Misao said, the brightness returning to her eyes. "At least he's at the point where he doesn't need a babysitter all the time and can be left alone. He's in physical therapy now and is making his therapist exhausted because he works so hard. The doctor says he should recover fully but it's going to take some time. Gramps is pushing himself really hard and although he doesn't say anything, I know it really bothers him that he lost a lot of strength on his right side. I mean..." Misao waved her arms around, taking in the dojo, "You're a martial artist, you can imagine how hard it would be if you suddenly needed someone to take care of you and help you get around. Gramps has been training in martial arts since he could _walk_ and I know he hates how helpless he feels right now."

"I can imagine," Aoshi responded.

A suspicious glimmer of wetness suddenly appeared in Misao's eye, but she quickly changed the subject. Waving her arms again, she gushed, "This is a really awesome practice space! Do you use it a lot?"

"Every day," Aoshi said.

"You're so lucky!" Misao began bouncing on her toes. "Gramps and I have this tiny little house and a dinky yard, so we've got to haul over to the dojo every time we want to practice. I'd _kill_ to have a place like this."

"Well, it is not that useful for sword work," Aoshi responded. "Although," he sized Misao up narrowly. "I think you could safely wield a blade in here without damaging the ceiling."

"Hey! I'm not that short!" Misao protested. Aoshi said nothing, merely staring at her with impassive eyes. She was wearing a gray, snug-fitting track suit made of some stretchy material that closely followed the contours of her body, and Aoshi idly noted that despite Misao's exceeding diminutiveness, there were curves to her hips, waist, and legs that the track suit set off nicely. Realizing his glance was wandering in the direction of a stare and quite possibly toying with the idea of becoming an ogle, Aoshi pulled his eyes away but not before Misao flashed him a wicked smile and reached for the zipper of her top, yanking it open.

Aoshi watched in a mild panic, bewildered and slightly alarmed as Misao slid the garment from her shoulders, exposing a purple spaghetti strap top underneath. Her small bare feet shifted, settling her into a wide stance, and Aoshi's confusion turned to understanding in a flash as she charged forward and he found himself tangling with a whirlwind of blue eyes and flying braid.

Misao's strikes were relatively light because she simply did not have enough weight to throw behind her punches but she was was inordinately fast. Nevertheless, Aoshi easily dodged her strikes, fending her off lightly. _Her offense is better than her defense,_ he thought to himself as he threw some strikes back at her. She blocked them well and had excellent reflexes but she was so intent on her attack that she let herself slightly open at times. _Still_, he realized as they warred across the floor, _she is quite good. _Her lithe body was flexible as a rubber band and she dodged and leaped across the floor, adroitly avoiding his attacks and raining blows down on him. The chilly air in the basement warmed up as the two competitors fought their way across the basement, eyes blazing with intent and Misao's face crooked in a broad, mischievous grin.

For several minutes they sparred energetically until Misao gave a twist and turned three perfect back springs, landing lightly on her feet. Her eyes danced with excitement as she burst out, "Ha! That was _great_! Thanks, Aoshi, I've kinda been out of practice lately. Grad school is killer sometimes and I haven't been training like I should." She put her arms over her head and stretched while Aoshi tried not to stare at the supple, athletic frame arched so appealing in front of him. Instead, he headed to a small shelf and picked up two hand towels, throwing one at Misao.

"Thanks." Misao wiped her face, then retrieved her top and zipped it back up. "Well, I should probably get back to the girls. They're forcing me to watch _Dancing With The Stars_," She rolled her eyes and made a gagging gesture with her finger. "Wouldn't want to miss The Situation making an even bigger douche of himself, would I? See ya!" Misao turned and raced lightly up the stairs as Aoshi watched her go.

When the basement door shut, Aoshi turned back to his abandoned practice session. Running through kata, he tried to quiet his mind but found that his thoughts kept insisting on flying back to his recent encounter with Misao. She had, well, basically apologized and taken blame for their unpleasant conversation at the party without waiting expectantly for an apology from him. He'd known plenty of women who liked holding grudges and staging a pouting coup until they manipulated the masculine target of their wrath into a suitable attitude of repentance, but thankfully Misao had shown no indication that she was the type to do this. For an hour, Aoshi punched and kicked his way across the floor, his body falling into well-rehearsed patterns as his mind chewed meditatively on these new developments, try as he might to force his thought patterns in a different direction.

Finally, Aoshi called it quits for the night and headed upstairs. _Dancing With the Stars_ had been replaced by some sappy love movie, _Letters to Juliet_ would be his guess, and he quickly slipped upstairs before the cloying sweetness of the film sent him gagging. Inside his room, his Blackberry was vibrating on the side table and he picked it up, frowning slightly at the unknown number. "This is Aoshi," he said into the device.

"Aoshi! You're a hard man to track down!" a strident and uncomfortably familiar voice poured out of the speakers along with the noise of what sounded like a party in the background.

Wincing slightly, Aoshi said, "Hello, Shura," mentally adding _And how did you get my number? I distinctly remember not giving it to you. _

"Look darling, I'm at this _amazing_ gala event at Borsheim's and I found the most _darling_ china set for Megumi," Shura cooed excitedly into the phone.

"She already has..." Aoshi responded but Shura cut him off, her voice growing louder to compensate for the background noise.

"Oh, that pattern she picked out?" Shura said dismissively. "No, no, darling, _this_ is the pattern she needs – it's perfect for her and Sano! At least, I'm almost certain but I wanted to get a second opinion. Wouldn't want to get the wrong thing, would we? And you have such good taste." The voice dropped to a purr, and Aoshi sensed where the conversation was going. He opened his mouth to head her off at the pass but she was too quick for him.

"Look, why don't you get your handsome self over here and take a look at it? And there are so many fascinating people at the gala, it's a great chance to network. Come on, drop what you're doing and swing by the place."

Aoshi stifled a groan and said, "Thanks, Shura, but I wouldn't get there for an hour and I..."

"Oh poof, we'll be here all night," Shura laughed. "Come on, the mayor's here and so many other VIP's. You can't turn down an event like this, not when I can get you in."

"Shura, I can't but thanks for the offer," Aoshi responded. He'd much rather be sitting in the living room eating greasy pizza and watching _DWTS_ with the ladies than spending any time in close proximity to Shura. In fact, he'd happily let Kaoru paint his nails that violent orange shade if it meant he could stay away from Shura. Politely but firmly he added, "Have a good time and goodnight," then clicked the "end" button, tossing the phone on his bed and heading for the shower.

When he had toweled off, the jabber of the television told him that the four women were still maintaining their takeover of the living room and that_ Letters To Juliet _was still going strong. Remembering the bookwork he had piling up, Aoshi went to his small office in the spare bedroom and opened his laptop. Bills were arrayed neatly on his desk but as he stared at them, he suddenly had a strange feeling that sitting next to Misao on the couch watching the dumb chick flick would be arguably better than balancing his checkbook. Frowning, he pushed the thought aside and clicked on Firefox, pointedly ignoring the thoughts hovering under the surface of his subconscious and forcing himself to concentrate on something that, though while mundane, was infinitely less troubling. Although, he had to admit later to himself, far less appealing.

But eventually the party below broke up and finally the silence of the house assured him that the coast was clear. The sounds of a vacuum soon broke the stillness as Megumi vigorously set to work on the living room, restoring it to its former pristine appearance. Aoshi and Megumi were both diagnosed clean freaks and he knew that once he ventured back downstairs, all signs of the mess would have disappeared. Still, he wrapped up his bookwork and dutifully headed downstairs to see if his sister wanted any cleaning help, a tiny, almost non-existent part of him hoping that Misao was still around.

She wasn't but Megumi happily accepted her brother's assistance. They quickly put the living room to rights and both siblings parted ways for the evening as snow kept falling softly outside the window and Omaha settled in for another long, cold winter's night.


	4. Lawyers and Lasagna

"Well, I expect that after this day, OSHA will no longer be breathing down our necks every time a sprinkle system malfunctions," Kenshin said as he and Aoshi moved smoothly across the polished tile floors of Sullivan & Smith. Elegant music played softly in the background and the elevator chimed its arrival as they passed it. "We should have switched to your firm months ago, what with all the incompetence Durham & Smith put us through," the red-head added, a tinge of gold glimmering in the corner of his normally violet eyes.

"With your company's focus, it was a wise decision to change to a law firm that specializes in environmental issues," Aoshi responded. A junior lawyer passed them, the heels of his dress shoes clicking like a metronome on the tile floor. However, Aoshi and Kenshin's footfalls were barely imperceptible as they moved with graceful, coiled ease, heading towards Aoshi's office after having left their superiors behind to kibitz and exchange gossip about the latest environmental hazard Omaha was facing.

"I've been telling our CEO that for months, but it wasn't until Durham & Sons cost us almost half a million in their latest botched mistake that he finally listened," Kenshin's brow twisted in a slight scowl.

Aoshi glanced down at his companion; Kenshin carried himself with such power and quiet confidence that it was always a small shock for Aoshi to look down at him and realize that the man was actually quite short. Yet there was nothing weak about the firm set of his shoulders nor the cast of his eye that viewed everything with a calm, watchful awareness. Alike as swordsmen, both men both bore the calloused fingers and effortless reflexes of those who spent hours every week training. Aoshi had seen Kenshin practicing once and had been seized with the desire to face off against him. Yet, neither man had ever suggested a bout, both knowing the truth: it would not...end well. Although meant in goodwill and friendship, it would quickly become something else: two swordsmen determined to win. Kenshin was becoming a friend and a trusted ally and now a client, and Aoshi did not want to see that destroyed.

Inside Aoshi's corner office, he gestured at the leather guest chair and Kenshin lowered himself smoothly into it while Aoshi seated himself behind the desk. Smiling quietly, Kenshin said, "How are plans going for the wedding? Is Megumi handling everything alright?"

"My house is being steadily invaded by tulle and wedding invitations," Aoshi sighed. "Megumi's been eying my home office, and I imagine that she is going to take it over as a wedding command center since her room is currently overflowing with a number of pointless items that I don't even bother asking about anymore."

Kenshin chuckled, "My sympathies. I supposed I will have my own lace and veil issues to deal with in the near future." One eye slanted and gave off a gleam.

Aoshi raised an eyebrow a fraction of an inch. "Indeed?" he questioned.

A pleased smile lit up the face of the red-haired swordsman. "I have a ring for Kaoru."

"Do you? That is excellent news," Aoshi said and watched as Kenshin's smile broadened. "Kaoru is a fine woman. Megumi speaks very highly of her." He paused and added, "And it will be helpful to have someone to sympathize with when the damned table centerpieces end up taking over my garage."

Kenshin rolled his eyes, "Kaoru has been eying the cathedral ceilings in my house for months. I have no doubt that once we get married and she moves in, I'll come home one day to find a dojo where my living room once was and a houseful of students breaking my windows."

Aoshi smiled slightly, "Not to mention that both Megumi and Kaoru will both be talking nonstop about wedding-related issues until you and Kaoru get married and probably for some point after the fact. I am afraid it will be nothing but _Modern Bride _and bouquets from both of them for the conceivable future."

He and Kenshin traded equally pained expressions and Kenshin said, "I'm actually thinking that the whole 'knock-woman-on-head-drag-to-cave' tradition sounds like a viable option now. Or at the very least the 'drag-to-Vegas-get-married-by-Elvis' option."

"Well, as your legal adviser, I am obligated to point out that for a marriage to be valid in any state of the U.S. both parties must be willing, alert, and oriented enough to say 'I do' and sign the marriage license and that any marriage made under coercion or deception is automatically rendered null and void," Aoshi said in a stiff, lawyerly manner as Kenshin's smile flashed.

"Ah well then the only thing to do is for us both to battle through the wedding mania as best we can," Kenshin sighed dutifully, then rose from his chair. "I suppose I need to corral my CEO and president." His mouth crooked, "If I recall, law firms bill by the hour and our superiors left to their own devices will be running up the hours."

Aoshi and Kenshin broke up the small party of happily gossiping men, tactfully steering them towards other business at hand, and Aoshi saw Kenshin and his entourage out the door, thinking for a few moments how lucky Kenshin was to have found someone like Kaoru. Frowning, he pushed the thought away and returned to his office to the stacks of work awaiting him.

As Aoshi walked back down the hall, his Blackberry buzzed impatiently in his pocket and looking at the screen, he stifled a groan as he saw who it was from. When Shura had called him two weeks ago, he had saved her number so that he would be alerted if she called him again. She had, twice, and he had let it go to voicemail both times, erasing the messages without even listening to them. She'd get the point eventually and find someone else to chase after. Sighing, he put the Blackberry back in his pocket and headed to his office.

* * *

><p>Aoshi swung the nose of the Saab down his street, surprised to see a decrepit Ford Taurus parked forlornly on the curb outside his house, tailpipe hanging nearly to the ground and rust spots generously garnishing its side panels. <em>Not Kaoru's, Misao's maybe? <em>he thought and pointedly ignored a small perk of interest that sparked up in him at the thought of her name. Yet as he pulled into the garage, he noticed that Megumi's IS C Lexus was absent. _That's odd,_ he thought as he turned the Saab off. _Perhaps they went somewhere. _Opening the door into the house, he was hit with the smell of something delicious along with loud, metallic-sounding music heavy on the electric guitar and mixed with a fast fiddle.

"Hi, Aoshi!" a cheerful voice greeted him and Misao scooted around the corner wearing an apron smeared with flour and a few generous blobs of something red. Her eyes looked a trifle apologetic as she said, "Megumi and I were making a gigantic mess in the kitchen together when she got called to the hospital for an emergency. I was getting everything picked up before you came home and saw the damage."

_This smelled suspiciously like a set-up, _Aoshi thought warily to himself but a quick glance around the kitchen gave his lawyerly brain little evidence for the accusation. His normally clean kitchen was liberally bespattered with various colorful puddles of goop, a pile of dishes swarmed the counter, and the dining room table was bare except for a laptop blaring out a thumping beat: no candles, romantic music, or other indications that Megumi had just coincidentally stepped out of the house, accidentally leaving her friend behind with her brother and a cozy, intimate dinner for two.

A buzzer sounded and Misao flew towards the oven, pulling out a gigantic lasagna that was sputtering and oozing with cheese. "Perfect!" Misao beamed and set it on the counter. "You'll need to let it sit for fifteen minutes, then you can eat it."

Aoshi shrugged off his suit jacket and hung it over the back of the chair, then went to the kitchen cabinet to pull out two sets of plates. "Wineglasses?" he questioned.

Misao looked over her shoulder at the plates in his hand and nodded, "Yeah, there's a Red Phoenix from Soaring Wings hiding somewhere on the counter." Picking up a dish to scrub it out vigorously, she asked, "Have you ever been to Soaring Wings? It's this great winery in Springfield and whenever I go there, I always come home with enough to get an entire fraternity wasted."

"I have not," Aoshi said as he set two places on the table, then moved towards the sink. Grabbing a dishtowel, he set to work drying off a gigantic saucepan that Misao probably could have fit in comfortably. "I take it you like to cook," he commented.

"Love it!" Misao burst out as she did a little jittery hip dance to the other end of the counter in time to the music. "Cooking is all chemistry, really. In high school, I kept changing my mind on whether I wanted to be a chemical engineer or a chef but I finally realized that you need to be a special brand of crazy to go into the restaurant business so I picked chemistry and just cook on the side when I can. Although," she waved her soapy hand at the stove, "Not usually this elaborate."

"Too busy with grad school to find the time?" Aoshi questioned as he set the saucepan back in a low cabinet and reached for another.

"Too broke," Misao responded cheerfully. "Megumi and I spent more on this dinner than Gramps and I spend on a _week_ of groceries. You don't get rich teaching martial arts or being a graduate teaching assistant, you know. Once I finally get this stupid grad degree done and get into my career field, I can expect to start making some decent money, but things have always been tight with Gramps and me." Misao thumped a clean dish in front of Aoshi and wiggled her way back to the sink for the next one to wash. "Megumi said she'd buy groceries if I cooked, so I took her up on the offer and cleaned out her account," Misao giggled, and added an extra hip shake to her motions.

Aoshi tried to keep his eyes on the skillet in front of him but it was hard when Misao was happily shimmying and rolling her hips to the music, seemingly unconscious of the effects she was having upon him. Aoshi shot a glance at the laptop and asked, "What band is that?"

"Abney Park, the absolutely coolest steampunk band in the world!" Misao burst out happily, increasing her shimmying exponentially. Aoshi couldn't say that it was exactly his style of music, but the reeling fiddle was catchy and the song had a primal, energetic beat that was appealing, plus it was resulting in a lithe, winsome young female belly dancing her way across his kitchen, so he was inclined to like the band. Although, in all honestly, Misao would probably have been able to clean the kitchen more effectively if she hadn't insisted on jittering and twisting her way around the room while she was washing dishes and wiping off counter tops. Not that he minded.

Between the two of them, they made quick work of the pile of dishes in the sink and the mess on the counters and just as they were finished, the timer dinged again. "Great, the lasagna's ready!" Misao announced and began rummaging around in the fridge. "There's a fancy salad in here along with a vinaigrette I made and some French bread." She put a finger to her lips and giggled, "Believe it or not, Super Target makes really good French bread. We also cheated and got a premade tiramisu since I didn't think we'd have enough time to make a real one." Still dancing, Misao brought out the salad, dressing, and bread, then shimmied over to the counter to retrieve the wine. Aoshi had retrieved the corkscrew and he pulled the cork free from the bottle in one smooth movement as Misao reached for her laptop. "Abney Park is cooking music, not eating music," she announced and put on some light jazz before rushing back for the salad tongs.

"Sit down, Misao," Aoshi said, wondering if the girl ever held still for more than two seconds. She plopped down on a chair as he seated himself and stuck a spatula into the gargantuan lasagna, carving out a piece. It came out of the pan in a terrific ooze of melted cheese, wriggling noodles, and tiny mushrooms. Placing the serving on Misao's plate, he wondered if she would be able to finish it. From the size of her, it looked like she would have trouble dealing with a standard-sized cupcake, let alone the feast she had prepared.

Misao, however, apparently possessed the metabolism of a hummingbird because as Aoshi watched in amused astonishment, she quickly tucked in two generous servings of lasagna, a large bowl of salad, and three slices of bread, chattering away happily and leaving Aoshi to wonder exactly where she was putting all of it. Not that he blamed her, the lasagna was unlike anything he had ever tried before.

"This is really excellent, Misao," he commented after the first bite or two. It was an incredible melding of cheese, several meats, copious amounts of butter, and spices he could not quite identify, although rosemary seemed to be a predominant theme.

"Lasagna Bolognese," Misao said proudly. "It took a lot of practice over the years but I finally mastered how to make a decent bechamel sauce, that is, after I ruined batch after batch. Gramps kept finding me in the kitchen screaming over a pot of scorching milk until I finally got it right."

"The wine is a good pairing," Aoshi said, lifting the glass.

Misao's face grew even brighter, "Soaring Wings does tastings on Sundays with live music. We should grab Megumi and everyone and go out there some time. It's a really relaxing place and I go there whenever I have the time."

"That would be a good idea," Aoshi commented and he truly meant it. Misao's enthusiasm for just about everything was contagious, although a tad overwhelming, and he suspected that she was either wildly crazy about something or had no interest in it at all with no room for middle ground.

Silence fell over them for a second, but it was a comfortable silence as Misao's big blue eyes fastened on something in the distance and she hummed a little to herself while food disappeared from her plate at an astonishing velocity. Finally, Aoshi said, "So, how is graduate school going for you? Will you be finished soon?"

"Hopefully graduating in May," Misao said and made a face. "That is, if Professor Garrin doesn't have my head by then."

"Who's that?" Aoshi questioned.

Misao rolled her eyes, "My chauvinistic adviser. I'm one of four women in the chem eng department and I swear that man crawled out of the Middle Ages and thinks all women should be barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen. I _know_ he goes out of his way to torment me just because I'm female. He can't stand it that a girl is the head of the class in his precious department."

"If he is discriminating against you, why don't you report him?" Aoshi said, the lawyer in him instantly snapping alert.

"'Cause he's got tenure up the wazoo and he's a brilliant researcher who publishes books and articles by the truckload, that's why. No one would give a damn about some grad student whining that he treats her unfairly."

"Misao, you have the right to a safe and fair schooling environment..." Aoshi began but Misao cut him off.

"Aoshi, part of that just comes with the territory," she said matter-of-factually. "I'm going into a heavily male-dominated field and I'm going to have to work twice as hard and deal with a lot of crap like this and that's just the way it is. I'm not saying it's fair or right, it's just life. Plus, no amount of screaming on my part is going to make Professor Garrin decide to become less of a jerk. Despite him, I've still got a 4.0 and a good job lined up once I graduate, so screw him. They say that living well is the best revenge anyway."

Aoshi admired her spirit but he could not help but press the issue. "You may feel this way but other women in the department may not have the same courage as you."

Misao shrugged again, "I learned a long time ago that laws only regulate behaviors, not thoughts. Professor Garrin made his mind up to hate women and nothing can change that. Sucks to be him." An impish expression crossed her face. "Boy did he hate it when my latest article got published in the _Journal of Chemical Engineering & Data. _He was twice pissed: once because it was my article that got in and once because he didn't help me with it and his big, important name was not listed. That was fun." The twinkle was gleaming in her eye.

Aoshi frowned. He wanted to keep pushing for more detail but finally decided to drop the issue since Misao clearly wasn't too terribly upset by the situation and seemed to be handling it well. Still, he filed it away for future reference, having a strange feeling that the information was important.

"So, how are things at the firm?" Misao changed the subject quickly, cutting yet another slice of French bread. Aoshi was beginning to suspect that Misao's statement of "things have always been tight with Gramps and me" actually meant "I only eat one meal a day". Either that or Misao simply expended an extraordinary amount of energy in the course of a normal day. Watching her animated expressions and constantly moving frame, he suspected that the latter was true.

"Hectic as usual," Aoshi responded, then deadpanned, "Half of our firm mysteriously developed diabetes after our CEO demanded that we cancel our water cooler subscription and drink tap water instead." He hoped Misao would take it as a joke and she did.

"Hey!" she protested with a smile and threw her wadded-up napkin at him. He caught the fabric easily and put it back on the table. "I thought we agreed not to talk about the case," she snorted, scooping up a little bit more lasagna.

"You asked," Aoshi said without cracking a smile. Misao glowered at him with a grin twitching her lips then, seeing he was finished eating, sprung to her feet and went racing for the fridge.

"Well, since you're in imminent danger of developing diabetes, I suppose I'll have to eat this tiramisu myself," she announced, sticking a spoon into the container and scooping out a generous portion.

"I bring my own bottled water to work," Aoshi countered, quickly taking possession of the serving spoon before Misao could stop him. She pouted but the fluffy ladyfinger and mascarpone concoction pulled her attention away from the mock war with Aoshi and soon put the happy, carefree smile back on her face.

The tiramisu disappeared about as quickly as the lasagna, and when she had finally pushed her plate back, Misao shot a worried glance at the kitchen window. "Is it still snowing?" she asked as she slid out of her chair and moved towards the window. "Yikes! It's coming down pretty thick. I'd better go."

Aoshi retrieved a few plastic containers from a drawer and said, "Megumi and I will never be able to eat all this by ourselves. Here, take some home to your grandfather." He put a generous portion of both the lasagna and the tiramisu in the containers and found a plastic bag under the sink as Misao picked up their dishes.

"I should really wash these," she said but Aoshi handed her the bag.

"Don't worry about it. You should get home safely." Misao nodded and picked up her coat, an enormous puffy creation in a vivid purple color. Swaddled up in it, she looked uncannily like a radioactive marshmallow. Aoshi retrieved his suit coat and walked Misao out to her car through the falling snow. The Taurus coughed and grumbled and it took several tries before Misao coaxed it into life, but she assured Aoshi that this was normal. Finally she wrestled it into submission and it took off down the street, growling unpleasant. Aoshi watched with a slight frown on his face: the nearly bald tires on the car didn't look like they were up to tackling the snowy roads. He had almost asked Misao to call him when she got home just so he knew she arrived safely but doing so struck him as a little too fussy and familiar. _She has a cellphone, she'll be alright,_ he said to himself and headed back to the house, snow falling on his hair and shoulders.

Inside, Aoshi felt strangely restless and once he had washed the dishes from dinner, found himself striding aimlessly though the house. Finally irritated with himself, he headed upstairs to change for training. Aoshi's training patterns typically followed the weather; when it was not inordinately unpleasant outside, he could usually be found in the backyard every day with both kodachi to be followed by a session of empty-handed training in the basement. Yet the wintertime usually meant that his kodachi saw little action except for weekend sessions at the dojo, and he focused primarily on empty-handed arts at home. However, this particular evening he felt seized with a strange desire to battle the elements outdoors. Despite the snow, it wasn't dangerously cold outside and his old sensei had made him train in the snow before. Dressing in a few layers under his uniform and slipping on his tabi boots, Aoshi retrieved his kodachi from their holders on the wall and walked outside onto the thick carpet of snow.

He trained until sweat was beading up inside his clothing and dabbing his face yet his fingers and toes were protesting mightily about the cold; finally the growing numbness in his hands drove him back indoors. The house felt both blissfully warm and uncomfortably hot, depending on what sections of his body he was consulting and he had just grabbed a handful of paper towels from the kitchen to wipe his face when the grinding of the garage door opener announced Megumi's return.

Aoshi could sense Megumi's _ki_ as she entered the house, and it was heavy with sorrow and exhaustion. The young doctor's face was drawn and ashen and her eyes were wet.

"Meg?" Aoshi questioned. Sighing, he said, "How bad was it?"

Megumi moved woodenly to the couch in the living room, and Aoshi followed, sitting down next to her as she curled up on the couch. Instinctively, Megumi moved towards him, putting her head on his shoulder and seeming not to notice that her brother was currently quite sweaty.

Aoshi was not a particularly demonstrative person, but he slid an arm around his sister's shoulder and squeezed her hand comfortingly. Finally Megumi said in a quiet voice, "It was awful. Car accident, Mom and two kids. Mom died in the ambulance, one kid died on the operating table. The other one's fighting but his prognosis doesn't look good. I left the dad in the hospital room beside his son's bed." As an ER doctor, Megumi had to deal with heartbreaking tragedies and even on the tail end of her residency had not quite learned the vital detachment skills that doctors develop to separate work from life less they go crazy. Aoshi knew that she would in time and he both welcomed and dreaded that day, hoping his sister would never grow callous to the suffering around her.

Softly, Megumi said, "Sano's on his way over." As she said that, the doorbell rang and Aoshi moved up from the couch to answer it. Sano was standing at the door, leather jacket already accumulating a light coating of snow and a worried look on his face.

"She okay?" Sano said in concern as Aoshi opened the door and let him in. Aoshi merely shrugged and jerked his head towards the living room. "Hey, pretty lady," Sano said softly as he walked into the room and sat down next to Megumi. She crawled up into his lap like a child as he gently cradled her to his chest and stroked her hair.

Leaving the couple, Aoshi slipped out of the room towards the shower. It had been a very long day with more work tomorrow. And more lasagna. Lots and lots of it. Hopefully Sano would get ahold of it before he left, otherwise Aoshi and Megumi would be eating leftovers for a week. Megumi would fuss about all the calories in the tiramisu but, knowing his sister, that would be the first thing to go, particularly after a tough ER session. Still tasting garlic, Aoshi thought, _At least I won't have to cook for awhile._

**Author's note – three shout outs needed!**

**Abney Park – coolest band in the universe!**

**Soaring Wings winery – great place! If you are near Omaha or Lincoln, check it out!**

**Super Target – awesome French bread, you guys. Thanks. **


	5. Courtrooms and Chivalry

**Author's note: they is some rather heavy legal information in here that is on the dry side but bear with me, it won't be too bad! Read and review, please! **

The high walls of the courtroom smothered some of the noise of people rustling papers, murmuring in consultation with each other, and striding purposefully around the room as everyone settled themselves in for the hearing. Several gray-headed, scholarly-looking men sat in a small huddle, serious expressions on their faces as they conducted a quiet conversation and occasionally shot stern glances at the small, black-haired young woman sitting by herself and returning their glares with a fierce expression of her own.

Misao's feet brushed the floor as she sat on the edge of her chair, back rigid and right hand tugging at her braid like she always did when she was upset. _You think you can bully me, you bastards, you have another thought coming!_ she thought angrily as her eyes fixed firmly on Professor Garrin who was clearly the ringleader of the small group of professors surrounded by rich, successful-looking lawyers ruffling importantly through large stacks of paper. Misao counted ten people on the other side of the court and as she did, a knot of worry curled up in her chest. _I won that contest fair and square and you have no right to take it from me!_ she stuck her chin out stubbornly. _The judge will see things my way, just you wait! _But Misao had to admit that she had felt a lot more confident about her defense when she had walked into the courtroom, belligerent and determined that the law was on her side. Unfortunately, the lawyers were on the chemical engineering department's side and as she looked at the legal counsel represented on the other side of the courtroom and the lack of it at her table, doubt and uncertainty were quickly rising in her.

It had begun three days ago with a call from a stranger informing Misao that she had won an engineering contest she had entered months ago and had nearly forgotten about. It had been a challenge to create a simple, easy-to-replicate device that could improve the living conditions of people in developing countries. Almost overnight, Misao had knocked together a reverse osmosis water purifier from spare parts she scrounged from the basement and garage but it also had a sun-reflecting chamber that bathed the purified water in UV light, rendering it completely safe and pure in 24 hours. All together, the device cost maybe $75 in easily obtained parts and was simple to operate and maintain. At the last second, Misao had submitted the device, then immediately plunged back into graduate school; the contest had sunk into the back of her mind until the phone call informed her that not only was she the winner but she had also snagged the $5,000 prize along with a patent and a week of travel to Niger to help construct the device in several villages.

The next morning, Misao excitedly bounced into the chemical engineering department to be greeted with the worried face of the secretary delivering an order to report to the dean. In his office, Dr. Bandel solemnly informed her that her entry had not followed the proper authorization process for contest entries and that according to the intellectual property rules of Williamson University, her prize money, her patent, and the rights to the device now belonged to the university. He ended the conversation by gesturing to the older woman at his side who served Misao a stack of papers and told her that the court hearing was set for two mornings away.

Clenching her fists on her lap, Misao watched as the judge walked into the room to the call of "All rise!" The judge was a stout, balding fellow with a generous stomach billowing under his voluminous robe and an expression of utter boredom lining his face. Misao scanned his visage anxiously but there was no trace of compassion or even mild interest written there, which sent her rapidly spiraling confidence plummeting even further.

"The case of Makimachi vs. Williamson University is now in session..." the judge began in a tired monotone but he was interrupted by the sound of a door opening as a tall, lean figure moved smoothly into the room.

"My apologizes for my tardiness, Your Honor," the lawyer said calmly as he set his briefcase on the table next to Misao and stood besides her, towering over her head.

The judge peered at the newcomer over the tops of his glasses. "And you are...?"

"Aoshi Shinomori of Sullivan & Smith. I am Ms. Makimachi's attorney," Aoshi responded smoothly, coolly ignoring the quiet murmur of conversation that sprang up at the table to his right and the incredulous, confused look Misao shot his direction. The lawyers knew his firm and some of them knew him. It wasn't the first time they had crossed swords over the courtroom floor.

"Fine, the case of Makimachi vs. Williamson University is now in session. Defense, do you wish to make the opening remarks?" the judge questioned.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Aoshi responded and moved purposefully across the floor to the middle of the room, taking the floor. "Your Honor, Ms. Makimachi has full rights to her invention and any attempts on the part of Williamson University to claim rights are invalid. As stated clearly in the university's bylaws, all student projects and inventions that are carried out under the supervision of a college representative and with the use of college property fall under the authority of the college and thus the student does not claim sole rights to them. However, Ms. Makimachi acted independently and outside the supervision and constrains of Williamson University and thus the university has no rights to claim this invention."

"Furthermore, Your Honor," Aoshi's voice was calm yet had a powerful quality that commanded attention. "The accusation against Ms. Makimachi was instigated by Profession Brian Garrin, Ms. Makimachi's adviser, not as a simple intellectual property dispute but as an attempt at sexual harassment and discrimination." The other table buzzed slightly as Professor Garrin's face darkened. Aoshi stared at him coolly as he continued. "Professor Garrin has demonstrated clear gender discrimination and harassment of my client during her graduate degrees studies at Williamson University and has served to foster an atmosphere of hostility and discrimination towards the four female students in the chemical engineering department at Williamson. I spoke with the other three female students, and all three expressed that they had undergone continual verbal and at times physical harassment from both the professors and students of the department. Two had attempted to report their concerns to the dean yet received no follow-up from him and were discouraged from pursuing the issue for fear that their studies would be in jeopardy. One female student independently stated that Professor Garrin had specifically targeted Ms. Makimachi and was more abusive towards her than the other three female students. This is particularly troubling since Professor Garrin is Ms. Makimachi's adviser and he is heavily influential not only in her success in the department but in her future career as well."

"Your Honor, I will also point out that in 2005, student Paul Yong of Williamson University's chemical engineering department won second-prize in a similar contest with a solar-powered carbon filtration system he designed under the direct supervision of Professor Garrin. Not only did Mr. Yong keep the $3,000 prize he earned but he was also granted partial rights of a patent that in 2010 was transferred solely into his name, which is clearly a violation of university bylaws, both the standard version of 1998 and the revised version of 2007."

The rustling and muttering at the other table was steadily rising as Aoshi continued, "In closing, I will also remark that Ms. Makimachi's invention is guaranteed to improve the condition of suffering people around the world. This legal battle is an unsubstantiated attempt to prevent this device from getting into the hands of the people who need it most. It is a heartless effort to block a vital humanitarian aide, and further pursuit of this lawsuit will only delay the time it takes for this invention to be replicated and established in developing countries."

Professor Garrin's face was turning distinctly purple and the other professors around the table were not looking happy as Aoshi said decisively, "That is all, Your Honor. Thank you," and seated himself smoothly at Misao's side, waiting coolly for Williamson University's lawyers to make their case.

"Plaintiff?" the judge questioned. He was sitting up straighter and appearing to take a much keener interest in the trial.

A portly, hard-faced lawyer rose to his feet and strode to the center of the room. "Your Honor, any claim of sexual discrimination or harassment on the defendant's part is ridiculous. Ms. Makimachi has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is the head student in her department, which she clearly could not have achieved if anyone in the department was actively working to discredit her. Professor Garrin speaks very highly of her abilities and contributions to the department and is proud to act as her adviser. In fact, Ms. Makimachi has excelled in her studies under Professor Garrin's leadership and guidance."

Clearing his throat, the lawyer continued. "The comparison of the Paul Yong case is erroneous because you will find, Your Honor, that Williamson University grants a certain level of discretion in intellectual property cases. Mr. Yong was extremely careful to follow all of the regulations for student entries and had the close supervision of Professor Garrin. While it is true that Williamson University does not normally grant full patent rights to students after a term has passed, there have been several other cases where the university has done so. In considering Mr. Yong's entry, it was decided that such an action would be mutually beneficial."

"Ms. Makimachi, on the other hand," the lawyer's lips took on a sneer, "blatantly and willfully ignored the bylaws and did not follow proper protocol for her submission. She did not even grant Professor Garrin the courtesy of informing him of her entry, when he was more than willing to advise her on the proper procedure. Since she did not follow the carefully laid out mandates of the college, she negated all claims to this invention."

"Finally, Your Honor must understand that Williamson University has every interest in improving lives around the world. We have no reason to block this useful and beneficial invention from reaching people in developing countries. This is why we are so concerned that proper legal course be taken so that the building and installation of these devices is carried out in the most effective and legal manner. It is the belief of Williamson University that this device would be most maximized if the university maintains the full rights to it. Ms. Makimachi surely wants this devices to reach as many people as possible, so there is no reason she should protest the university taking control of it. Should Ms. Makimachi retain rights to it, the device would not reach its full potential which would be a horrible travesty."

Preening a bit, the lawyer finally said, "Thank you, Your Honor," and sat back down.

The judge shifted his weight in his seat and scanned the room. "Any further words?" he questioned.

"No, Your Honor," Aoshi replied.

"Then this session is closed," the judged banged his gavel on the table. "The next session is set for a week from today." Everyone in the room rose to their feet as the judge slid off his chair and walked out of the room, his robe trailing a little in his wake.

Misao stood next to Aoshi, suddenly a lot more nervous than she had been during the case, and one hand reached around to play with the end of her braid. "Did you drive here, Misao?" Aoshi questioned, and there was a set to his eyes that made her stomach churn.

"No, my stupid car wouldn't start today," Misao sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. "My neighbor Sarah dropped me off on her way to the doctor."

"I'll give you a ride home," Aoshi said and reached for his briefcase. Lawyer and client left the room quietly, Aoshi striding forward with firm, purposeful steps, his brow set in a slight frown as Misao marched besides him, trying to keep her back straight and chin up.

Inside the parking garage, Aoshi wordlessly held the passenger side door open as Misao slid into the Saab, trying not to get slush on the immaculate floor. Aoshi opened his door and sat besides her, starting the car but not backing it up.

"Misao, why didn't you tell me about this?" he said in a controlled voice with the barest hint of anger coloring his tones.

"I..." Misao started, then paused. In a hard, brittle voice she continued, "I can't afford a lawyer, Aoshi, let alone someone like _you_."

"It doesn't matter. I could have at least given you advice and helped better prepare you for this," Aoshi said flatly. "Walking into the court with no legal counsel at all was exceedingly foolish. Williamson University lawyers would have eaten you alive." The dashboard gave the time as 11:47 a.m. and Aoshi was beginning to feel the signs of a headache pricking at his temples. It had been a hectic morning that started with a phone call from Kenshin at exactly 8:07 a.m.

"Aoshi, I don't know if you are aware of it, but Misao is apparently in some kind of legal trouble," Kenshin's normally calm voice was pricked with concern.

"Legal trouble?" Aoshi repeated, rising to his feet from the email he was reading.

"I heard word from a colleague just a few minutes ago about a pending legal case; apparently Williamson University is lodging an intellectual property case against a student involving a humanitarian invention the student had created for a contest," Kenshin said, and there were voices in the background and soft chimes as if he was speaking from inside an elevator. "My colleague's husband works at the Omaha World Herald and had picked up on the case. I overheard a few people discussing it, and Misao's name came up. I called Kaoru and she said that Misao told her a few days ago she had won a contest for a water purification system meant for developing countries, so I have reason to believe the story is true but neither Kaoru or I have been able to contact Misao this morning."

"What is her number?" Aoshi said, pulling a legal pad towards him and writing down the digits Kenshin gave him. Thanking his friend and hanging up, Aoshi punched the numbers in but, as he suspected, the call went to Misao's cheerful and overly perky voice mail.

"Misao, this is Aoshi Shinomori. Please call me as soon as you can," he said briefly and hung the phone up for a series of other phone calls, the first one to his Yahiko, his research assistant, with a long list of urgent information to find right now. Despite Aoshi's calmness on the other end of the line, Yahiko innately sensed that his head was on the chopping block if he didn't start pulling off miracles right away. Several more critical calls, including two to Kaoru, and a flurry of information gathering on both Aoshi and Yahiko's part pulled together some crucial information but even so Aoshi drove to the court with his phone attached to his ear and Yahiko on the other line anxiously searching for vital facts in the firm's library and feeding them into the phone. By sheer luck, Aoshi had managed to locate the other three women in Williamson University's chemical engineering department and gotten a statement from each one that morning. Overall, he felt the hearing had gone reasonably well despite the scant three hours he had been given to prepare for it. Yet, if only Misao had told him sooner.

Shooting a cold look at the young woman sitting next to him, Aoshi felt like giving her a good shake. Her legs and arms were tightly crossed and she was sitting as absolutely far away from him as possible, staring through the window out into the parking garage.

"You didn't tell Kaoru, Megumi, anybody?" Aoshi continued, knowing the answer. "Misao, you cannot afford to treat this case lightly. This is a serious matter."

"I didn't do anything wrong; this has _nothing_ to do with Williamson University and they have no right to my purifier," Misao said hotly, biting off the end of each word.

"Unfortunately, this is not a clear-cut case, Misao,"Aoshi informed her coldly. "Intellectual property is a notoriously thorny issue and most universities, especially privately-run ones like Williamson, exert a significant amount of power over the knowledge and discoveries their students generate. This will not be an easy case, Misao, and you must take it seriously because make no mistake, Williamson University will."

Misao said nothing and merely wrapped her legs around each other more tightly and scowled more deeply. Aoshi put the car into gear and backed out a trifle faster than he intended. Neither occupant said anything as Aoshi pulled through the streets of downtown Omaha, dirty slush spinning under his tires on the raw, bleak January day.

After a few minutes, Misao said, slightly defensively, "Aoshi, I live out west."

Aoshi said nothing and Misao pulled her glance from the window to half glare, half peer at him as he directed the car deeper into the downtown area. It was nearing lunchtime and there were scattered knots of people shuffling through the snow-laden streets in search of lunch. After a few minutes, the Saab pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant and Misao looked up at it. "Sullivans?" One of the most pricey and exclusive restaurants in Omaha, Sullivans was far out of Misao's budget and she had never experienced the place for herself.

"Our firm has an expense account at Sullivans, and we often entertain clients here. With the corresponding names, it seemed appropriate," Aoshi responded flatly and pulled up to the parking valet. Helping Misao out of the car with a chilly courtesy, Aoshi turned the keys over to the valet and directed Misao into the building.

Misao forgot her anger for a moment as the cold, bleak outside gave way to the subdue, old-world charm of the inside of the building. Heavy wooden fixtures, soft lighting, and elegantly dressed servers greeted them; Misao half-expected to see a mafia don sitting at a table conducting business or a trio of French businessmen in designer suits murmuring over the wine list. Instead the room was filled with well-dressed business people and one cozy, intimate couple holding hands over the breadbasket.

A pretty hostess greeted Aoshi by name and seated them both at a table as another equally pretty waitress came gliding over with menus. Aoshi didn't pick his up but said quietly to Misao, "They have a rather excellent business lunch that I recommend." Misao thought briefly about ordering the most expensive thing on the menu just to irritate Aoshi, but one glimpse of an entree price made her wince.

Setting the menu down, she said, "You order for us."

Aoshi nodded and said to the waitress, "We will have two business lunches with the asparagus bisque and the filet mignon, medium rare, please." The waitress smiled and bobbed and as she walked away, Misao realize that all the waitresses and hostesses in the restaurant were wearing different styles of patterned black tights. Their waitress had flowers embroidered into her tights, and Misao made her mind up to ask the young woman where she had purchased them.

Pulling her eyes away from the waitresses' calves, Misao turned and saw that Aoshi was scanning her with those infuriatingly calm blue eyes of his. Her anger and frustration returned but layered over all her emotions was a deep-seated sense of humiliation and worry.

"Why didn't you answer your phone, Misao?" Aoshi asked as he reached for his water glass. "Kaoru and I both tried repeatedly to reach you this morning."

"You did?" Misao's forehead crinkled, then she reached for her purse and began rummaging through it. After several moments of fruitless searching, she came up empty-handed and puzzled. "I always take it with me, particularly since Gramps had the stroke and...oh crap." Irritated revelation crossed her face. "I remember now, I used it for an alarm this morning and totally forgot to put it back in my purse."

"Regardless, the hearing went fairly smoothly," Aoshi replied, not bothering to elaborate on the frenzied and inordinately brief three hours of preparation he and Yahiko had undergone. His research assistant was no doubt still buried up to his ears at the firm's library, and Aoshi expected a large pile of information to be on his desk when he returned.

"Aoshi...look," Misao sighed. "Thank you for what you did, but there is absolutely no way I can afford you as my lawyer. Even if I win that $5,000 back, I doubt it will be even close to enough for your legal fees."

"Sullivan & Smith handles a number of pro bono cases every year and as a partner I have full discretion to choose to take on a case," Aoshi responded.

"But..." Misao began but Aoshi continued.

"Sullivan & Smith takes a keen interest in environmental and sustainability issues, and we are deeply committed to furthering humanitarian projects around the world. Your rights to the purification device you invented is exactly the sort of case my firm wants to handle, Misao."

Misao played with her fork for several moments before responding, "I'm grateful, Aoshi, don't get me wrong. It's just..." she put the fork back down. "It's just I don't like being a charity case," she finished tightly, feeling tension rising up in her shoulders..

"It may help if you think of it as a service to Sullivan & Smith," Aoshi said diplomatically. "We will derive a great deal of publicity and status out of a win. Williamson University has a rather deep-seated reputation of being an overly expensive, conservative college run by right-wing older white men, and this case will only increase their standing as a university more focused on money than the development of the human potential. Our firm will be seen as the champion of humanitarian rights and greatly boost our reputation in the Midwest. A win will be a great asset to the firm."

Misao looked at him keenly. "I notice you haven't said, 'When we win.'"

The waitress was back and set a basket of freshly-baked bread on the table. Misao had been so focused on the case that morning that she had been too preoccupied to eat, and the stress of the day had been making the thought of food repulsive. However, the bread called out to her, begging to be thickly slaughtered with butter, and she quickly reached for a piece as Aoshi responded evenly.

"As I said, Misao, this is a difficult case, and I had very little time to prepare for the hearing. However, preliminary research looks promising and you do have many strong points in your favor. I am optimistic. Besides," Aoshi picked up a slice of bread, "I have yet to lose a case. I do not intend to now."

Misao chewed meditatively for several moments, thinking about what Aoshi had said. Finally, she propped one elbow on the table and rested her chin on it. Staring at the lawyer directly, she said, "I didn't want you to feel obligated to help me, Aoshi. That's why I didn't tell you. I also didn't tell Megumi or Kaoru or anyone else because I knew word would get back to you. I've met you all of three times and the first time I crash-landed on you over a pile of underwear, so that didn't seem like the best of foundations to ask someone for a huge favor. To be honest," Misao snatched up another piece of bread, "I didn't think the hearing would be that bad. But I guess I underestimated how much Garrin hates my guts. I'll bet my car he was behind this whole thing."

"Even if I was unable to take you on as a client, I would have at least given you some legal advice and pointed you towards helpful resources," Aoshi admonished. Misao ignored him and stroked a generous daub of butter over her bread. He watched her narrowly but decided to leave the issue alone for now.

The waitress reappeared with two bowls of steaming soup, lightly garnished with sour cream and tiny curls of carrot adding a splash of orange. "Oh, wow!" Misao said as she tried a spoonful. Closing her eyes, she let it sit on her tongue for a few moments before swallowing. "The chef used smoked chicken bones for the stock, I just know it!" she exclaimed as her customary lively, cheerful demeanor came roaring back. Trying another spoonful, she submitted it to the same taste test. "Tarragon and thyme, I think. I'll have to ask the waitress." Aoshi watched in mild amusement as Misao enthusiastically dissected the soup component by component and quickly set to work on the filet mignon, grilled vegetables, and horseradish mashed potatoes that floated their way. Once their plates were clean, Misao subjected the waitress to a friendly but slightly over-animated interrogation which resulted in the chef making his way up to their table where Misao cheerfully assaulted him with questions and let him go only after he promised to give her the recipe for the soup before she left.

While Misao was occupied with wringing out the information she wanted from the chef, Aoshi quietly called the waitress to him and a few minutes later, two ramekins of deep, oozingly hot chocolate brownie cake topped with vanilla bean ice cream made their appearance.

Aoshi ignored his momentarily, watching as Misao tried a bite and her eyes rolled up in her head. "Oooooo..." she said in pure pleasure as a dreamy expression crossed her face. For several moments she merely sat there, empty spoon suspended in front of her mouth as she sighed heavily, waves of ecstasy rolling across her face. After a minute or so, Aoshi realized uncomfortably that the scene unfolding in front of him was bordering on erotic, so he dropped his eyes to his own ramekin and dipped up a spoonful. Misao was uncharacteristically quiet for several long minutes as she slowly lifted bites of the cake up to her mouth, sighing in a way that made Aoshi's mind wander in directions it shouldn't. Finally, Misao pulled the last of the chocolate off the spoon with her lips and leaned back with a hum.

"That was the absolutely best chocolate cake I have ever had in my entire life, Aoshi," she said, staring at him with a dreamy expression that made him clear his throat. "If I had know it was that good, I would have skipped lunch and eaten about six of those."

"That would be ill-advised," Aoshi said. "As your attorney, I can tell you that falling into a diabetic coma would be highly deleterious to your case." However, he doubted Misao heard him; she was still riding high on the chocolate euphoria and was uncharacteristically sedate and compliant as he settled the account and steered her outdoors towards where his Saab was waiting.

Settling herself in the car, Misao said, "You can actually drop me off at the university. I have work to do." As she said that, the chocolate-induced dreaminess disappeared and a belligerent, determined expression settled over her.

"Do not speak with Professor Garrin if you possibly can," Aoshi said. "Be aware that anything you say or do will be noted and possibly used against you."

"Then again, I could simply beat his head in with the nearest blunt object," Misao said, hardness returning to her voice. "I was going to work at the library anyway. I have a ton of research to do."

"Keep careful note of what anyone in the department or at the university says," Aoshi instructed her. "It may be useful." Misao nodded, and felt tension tighten back up in her stomach at the thought of setting foot in the department again. _Dammit, I have every right to be there! Let's see those bastards try to stop me!_ she thought to herself and fell into silence as Aoshi drove towards the campus. As he dropped her off in front of the library, Misao fleetingly wanted to crawl back inside the warm car and have Aoshi take her somewhere very far away, preferably with a beach and sun and cute cabana boys (or Aoshi in just a swimsuit and flipflops), but she shut the door and waved her new lawyer off as he drove away, the Saab catching the attention of several passerbyes.

"Ooh, who's the hottie?" a voice called out, and Misao turned to see Regan, one of her fellow female students in the chemical engineering department, trotting towards her.

Smiling ruefully, Misao replied, "My lawyer, I guess."

Regan linked her arm through Misao, "You mean the one who called me this morning? _That's_ your lawyer? That's it, I'm getting sued today so that gorgeous hunk can come swooping in to rescue me."

Misao looked at her friend in confusion. "What do you mean he called you this morning?"

* * *

><p><em>Lovely<em>, Aoshi groaned in irritation as he saw Shura's black Lexux IS F sitting prominently in his driveway, blocking his entry to the garage. Feeling the headache rise back up in him, Aoshi thought briefly of just turning the car around and going somewhere else, but he was exhausted and his mind was an endless loop of data; everything in him wanted to go inside and collapse in the living room. With any luck, Shura would disappear soon, leaving him the couch and his sister.

From the driveway, Aoshi could see that the house was darker than normal but a light was on in his office which Megumi had indeed taken over "just for a little bit" to serve as a wedding command station. Aoshi silently opened the door and slipped inside, intent on avoiding detection by the room's occupants. By the conversation coming from the open door, his arrival had not been noticed.

"But, darling, the Evan Smith dress is simply stunning!" Shura's strident tones thumped down the stairs like a dropped ball. "I would absolutely love to wear it, and it will look great in pictures."

"But 'Ra, I know Misao and Kaoru can't afford a $500 bridesmaid dress," Megumi's tired voice was softer than Shura's. "I promised them that I wouldn't go crazy with costs for the wedding." Aoshi frowned. He knew that Megumi was planning on buying some of the accessories that Misao needed and making her accept them since Misao clearly didn't have a lot of funds.

"Oh pooh, Kaoru has that rich architect boyfriend, surely he can help her buy the dress," Shura scoffed.

"But Misao doesn't," Megumi pointed out. "I'm sorry, Shura, but I just can't justify making you all spend that much money on a dress."

"Okay, darling, it's your wedding," Shura said but she sounded pouty. After a moment, she commented, "The discount one at David's Bridal would be more forgiving of Tae's hips anyway," cattiness slipping down the stairs towards Aoshi who frowned again. He stepped towards the kitchen, intent on heading to the basement when a cellphone rang and Shura's shrill voice sounded, "David, darling! What...really?...Oh no, no, tell the distributor we are NOT having this conversation again, he promised...What? Look, I'm coming over...No, just wait until I get there." Her voice was growing steadily irritated and Aoshi heard her burst out with several choice words before switching back to sugary tones, "Megumi, dear, I've got to run. Work problems. Bye, love!" Air kisses sounded, and Aoshi slipped quietly into the dark kitchen to avoid the Shura avalanche that charged down the stairs and stormed out of the house in a whirlwind of clacking heels and expensive perfume. He waited until he heard her car driving away, then walked up the stairs to the office.

Megumi was sitting on the floor amidst a monsoon of lace, silk flowers, wedding books, crinkled tissue paper and other items, and her face was as crumbled as the scrap paper surrounding her feet. Megumi's eyes were dark and strained, and she looked deeply conflicted. Sensing an imminent emotional meltdown, Aoshi stepped forward to ward it off, but his sister shot to her feet as sentences tumbled heedlessly out of her mouth. "'Shi, I don't think I can do this! This wedding is a little over five months away and I don't have bridesmaid dresses finalized and I just barely got the 'save the date' cards out and I have no idea what we're doing for a cake and there are a million things that I can't deal with because I'm working 70 hours a week and I am a _terrible_ fiancee for Sano because I'm either working or stressing about the wedding and he must be crazy for marrying me and I'm going to be a _horrible_ wife because I have no time for Sano and..."

"Megumi, stop," Aoshi ordered calmly, watching as his sister began wringing her hands and a few tears glimmered in her eyes. Determined to ward off a full-on panic, he said, "Wait here," and disappeared for a moment, soon returning with the last two pieces of tiramisu. Megumi glared at him and he just knew she was going to start fussing about not being able to fit into her designer wedding dress so he simply stuck a forkful of tiramisu into her mouth and shoved the plate into her hands. The glare disappeared as rapidly as the tiramisu and by the time the dessert was gone, Megumi was more composed.

Setting his fork back on his half-emptied plate, Aoshi looked at his sister and said rationally, "The important thing is that you are marrying Sano and are happy with that idea. It doesn't matter if the flowers are the wrong color or a centerpiece falls over or one of the bridesmaid hates the gown she is wearing. You will get married and that is the point. The wedding will be fine and everything will come together as it should. You do yourself no good by stressing this much."

Megumi scraped a non-existent bit of cream up with her fork and said half-seriously, "Or Sano and I could just elope."

"That is an option too," her brother shrugged slightly.

"Mom would kill me you know. Then she would kill you for letting me elope."

"Well short of locking you in your room, I don't think I can prevent you from doing so," Aoshi pointed out practically.

Megumi gave a shaky giggle. "I know, I know." She sighed heavily. "I know everything will be okay. I am just really looking forward to this being all over."

"As am I," Aoshi said. "But it will be eventually."

Megumi rose to her feet and took Aoshi's plate from him. "Thanks, Bro," she said and planted a light kiss on his cheek. Aoshi thought briefly about telling her what had happened with Misao, but he decided to wait until his sister was in a more composed frame of mind. Instead, he followed her into the kitchen to see if Sano had managed to finish off all the lasagna.

**Author's note: Sullivans is a real restaurant in Omaha. Yes, the waitresses wear patterned tights and yes, they have the most divine chocolate cake in the universe. And yes I can justify going to Sullivans and eating their cake as research for this story. **


	6. Matrimony and Margaritas

**Author's notes: to every girl who has been a bridesmaid one too many times, made numerous wedding dresses out of toilet paper at showers, or been single as all her friends start pairing off one by one: this chapter is dedicated to you. I feel your pain. Let's go have a margarita.  
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"I mean, I always thought that it would be totally cheesy to get proposed to on Valentine's Day but it actually was amazing!" Kaoru gushed, the diamond sparkling brilliantly on her finger as she waved her hands in excitement, too full of emotion to pay much attention to the margaritas and gooey nachos heaped on the table. Misao, Megumi, Tae and Tsubame, Megumi's attendant, were grouped around the table with Kaoru, ooing, swooning, and excitedly talking over each other to hear more details.

"When Kenshin told me to dress warmly since we were going to be outside, I didn't think anything of it, so when he picked me up I was in an old coat and about twenty layers of clothing. He didn't say where we were going and he kept driving out in the country, so I was completely clueless. Then he stopped way the heck out in the middle of nowhere, and I actually was thinking he was lost. But he had a horse-drawn sleigh waiting for us!"

"That is so romantic," Tae smiled dreamily.

"Totally!" Megumi sighed. "I always suspected Kenshin was secretly the mushy type."

Kaoru's eyes were sparkling as brightly as the diamond on her finger as she continued to gush. "So Kenshin took us out in the sleigh and it was _wonderful_ – the stars were perfect and it started snowing lightly and it was so pretty, plus Kenshin had the reins so we left the horse's owner behind and it was just the two of us. After awhile, he drove us up to this campfire out in the middle of nowhere and there was this little table with candles and hot chocolate in a thermos waiting for us. He poured me some chocolate and let me warm up, then got down on one knee and pulled out the ring!"

Kaoru's voice was growing exponentially louder, and their table was rapidly becoming the liveliest one in the rather sparsely-populated dining room. The other four women sighed and swooned and asked Kaoru questions and generally had a very girly squeal fest as their attractive waiter kept making excuses to come up to their table and flirt shamelessly. Shura would be joining them later, but for now the five of them were more than making up for her with their noise.

Misao was smiling and laughing along with them all but internally it was difficult to keep up a cheerful spirit. She could not help looking wistfully at the diamonds on Megumi and Kaoru's hands and sigh noiselessly over her own bare fingers with chipped polish decorating the nails. _I'm the only one here single_, she thought glumly to herself. Tae had been seeing someone for a few months and Tsubame was in the first stages of a not-quite-there-yet relationship with a young man that Misao was surprised to find out was Aoshi's research assistant. Amidst the four females currently marked as "not for circulation", Misao felt a little out of place.

_Well, at least I have._...Misao stopped herself. _No, correct that. I __have__ a new acquaintance who was kind enough to have stepped into place as my pro bono lawyer and is helping me out of a really crappy situation. That's it. _Reaching for a nacho, Misao stuffed it between her lips and tried to look interested in the squealing conversation while her mind kept tossing thoughts around like socks in a dryer. Fact was, she had been attracted to Aoshi from the start, but he had been so reserved and quiet it was impossible to read what was going on below the surface. Megumi had been dropping Aoshi's name and making little comments about her brother for a few months before Misao had practically fallen in his lap, and Misao assumed that Megumi had also been trying to put a bug in her brother's ear about Misao. Aoshi seemed to be the stubborn type, someone for whom bullying would have the opposite effect, so Misao wondered if Megumi's pushing hadn't scuttled her chances of bringing the two together.

_Plus, it's not like I have time for a relationship or have anything to offer at this point, _Misao grumbled to herself. Her days and evenings were spent at campus as she trudged wearily towards the tail end of her graduate studies, commencement day taunting her like a spectral light in a swamp as she tiredly stumbled towards it. The professor she was assigned to as a graduate teaching assistant was more than happy to dump all his grading and most of his lecturing on her, freeing him up to research and write, and Misao constantly had quizzes to grade, lessons to prepare, and anxious students to deal with on top of her graduate work. In fact, as she reached for another nacho, Misao could not help but think about the burgeoning pile of grading waiting for her back home not to mention the paper that was due in two days. _Another all-nighter,_ she thought with a sigh. She had almost skipped this dinner but when Kaoru had called her and excitedly told her the news, Misao knew her friend was just dying to spill all the details so she had let Kaoru pick her up and was currently trying to look perky while holding back yawns of extreme fatigue.

At least her grandfather was slowly recovering, but Misao felt extremely guilty for the very little time she could spend at home, despite how he constantly assured her that her studies were more important and that he was perfectly capable of looking after himself. But Misao knew how deeply it ate at him that he was still partially incapacitated and how hard he worked to regain his strength. At first, she had avoided telling him about the lawsuit, determined to protect him from the truth, but after Aoshi had swept in gallantly to save the day and made her realize that this was far from a simple case, Misao had finally sat her grandfather down and told him what had happened. She had tried to make it as light-hearted as she could, but her grandfather quickly saw through her facade and dragged the truth out of her word by word, only satisfied when she told him about Aoshi, although Misao knew that her grandfather was just as stubborn about accepting charity as she.

The lawsuit only compounded the stress of graduate school. Misao could not avoid the department nor the stares and mutters of the professors who had stood against her, and the atmosphere in the department was quickly becoming even more hostile and oppressive. However, Misao saw no other option but to charge bullishly forward, eyes hard and aggressive and pointedly ignoring the blatant ill-will thrown her way. Her one consolation was that not everyone in the department was sided against her. Dr. Turren, who headed up one of the three classes she was taking in her final semester, had often gave her a kind word throughout her studies and she had taken as many classes with him as she could. The day after the hearing, he walked out of the classroom with her, quietly stating, "Misao, I do _not_ agree with this lawsuit at all. Yes, I think you made a mistake and did not go through the proper channels, but I also think we are far too strict at Williamson about issues like these. There is absolutely no reason for the department to pursue this case so heavily. It's harassment, plain and simple, and I do not support it."

"Thank you, sir," Misao responded, feeling a little burst of encouragement at having a friend in the department. She had often wished she could have Dr. Turren as an adviser, but Williamson was draconic about allowing students to switch advisers so she had been stuck with Garrin.

Dr. Turren continued, "If it becomes necessary, I am willing to take the stand on your behalf."

"But, you'll be going against the department," Misao sputtered. "Won't that cause you a lot of problems?"

"I have tenure and have been with the department longer than Professor Garrin," Dr. Turren sniffed. "They can say whatever they like, but I basically have the freedom to do as I please. Garrin and I have butted heads frequently over the years and while me appearing on the witness stand will cause a great deal of commotion in the department, I frankly do not care at this point."

Dr. Turren looked at her, a frown twitching his lips. "Misao, you need all the help you can get at this point and if it means Garrin and I will continue to duel at every meeting we attend, I am willing to risk that. But," he cautioned, "I will say that I would prefer only stepping into court if it is quite necessary. From the rumors, I hear you have a rather fine lawyer who has the university's attorneys in a bit of a tizzy," he smiled at her. "I am confident of a win."

"He _is_ a good lawyer," Misao agreed and could not help a smile breaking out on her face. Come to think of it, she had developed a rather annoying habit of smiling whenever Aoshi came up in the conversation. In fact, as she sat at the table at La Mesa, picking up yet another nacho chip, the thought of Aoshi wiped the tiredness from her frame as she felt her heart give a little dance.

_Dammit, girl, get your head on straight!_ Misao ordered herself. _You have a little over three more months left of graduate school hell, plus this stupid lawsuit, plus Gramps, plus making sure AgriChem does indeed have a job for you and didn't just make some grandiose promise that it'll have to reneg on – you don't have __time__ for men. He's your lawyer and he's helping you out as a favor and because you're Megumi's friend. Pull your head out of the clouds and focus on the business at hand. _

But remembering Aoshi's cool blue eyes and the rare times a slight smile would give his face a gentle glow, Misao had trouble following through on that order. The stress of her life was rapidly becoming overwhelming and as much as she hated to be on the receiving end of a handout, she was grateful for Aoshi's attentiveness and concern for her well-being. Although it was infuriating and humiliating to have to undergo the lawsuit, she was thankful to have Aoshi at her side; he gave her strength and hope. But the pressures of life were rapidly growing overwhelming and there had been a few times in the past two weeks that Misao would have very much liked to have gone out on a real date with Aoshi, one which did not involve courtrooms, rickety ladders, or conniving sisters and that preferably ended with him pressing her urgently up against a wall and kissing her until she couldn't breath anymore.

Aoshi, however, showed no sign that he would be unapposed a date or spontaneous snogging session. In the two weeks since the first hearing, Misao had seen him exactly once at the second hearing and had briefly talked to him on the phone once. He had been pleasant but professional and Misao could not help but search his words and actions for a sign of interest, coming up with little hard evidence. Finally, she had to admit to herself that this wasn't precisely the most ideal of circumstances to try to spark a new relationship and resigned herself to battling through school and the lawsuit in hopes that once summer arrived and things slowed down, maybe something would happen between her and Aoshi. They were paired together for the May wedding, and maybe a night of dancing and celebrating would start something.

_Until then, duty calls. Oh great, _Misao sighed and picked up her margarita. A flyweight when alcohol was concerned, Misao knew that half the drink would get her giggly. Tipping the sweet liquid down her throat, she welcomed the rush of it hitting her stomach and soothing away the stress of the day. Kaoru had driven them both to the restaraunt, so Misao knew that getting a little tipsy would not hurt anything. She needed to relax a little anyway.

When Misao set the glass back down, she saw that Tsubame's brown eyes had turned towards her as a shy smile brightened the young woman's pleasant face. Misao had only met Tusbame a few times; she was a nurse who worked with Megumi, and the bride-to-be had asked Tsubame to be her attendant. Misao found her quiet but nice. Unlike the other four women, she hadn't been overtly gushy and amidst all the racket, Misao was happy to talk to someone a little more sedate.

"So how are you handling the case, Misao?" Tsubame asked, her brow wrinkling in concern. "I was so sorry to hear about it; you must be worried and stressed right now."

"It's not been easy," Misao admitted. "I'd be SOL without Aoshi but luckily he's full of derring-do and saving the day."

"Yes, Yahiko said that Mr. Shinomori is taking the case extremely seriously," Tsubame responded and Misao giggled a little at hearing Aoshi mentioned so formally. Tsubame continued, "Yahiko said that they have several cases they are handling, but Mr. Shinomori is devoting a great deal of his time to your case."

"Really?" Misao said.

"Oh yes," Tsubame responded, "In fact..." but her words were interrupted as Shura burst dramatically into the building and steam-rolled towards them, her heels clicking loudly on the tile floor and hips swinging as if they were trying to punch holes through the sides of her dress.

"Kaoru _darling_, how _wonderful_! What a lucky girl you are!" Shura squealed loudly, drawing eyes from around the room to her elegantly clothed figure as she swooped down on Kaoru, flinging her hair everywhere and generally making a commotion and generating attention. Pulling a chair up to the end next to Kaoru, Shura was a whirling ball of movement, flipping her hair, pulling off her gigantic Gucci sunglasses and patting Kaoru with fluttering hands. "Oh darling, let me see the ring! Let me see, let me see! Oh my god, that thing is _gorgeous_! How many carets is that? Oh my god, I want to hear _everything_. Tell me!"

Misao was glad she was down on the other end of the table, but even so Shura's every syllable was clearly audible. Wincing a little, Misao turned back to Tsubame but she and Tae had fallen into a conversation so she picked up her margarita and drained the glass before ordering a second one from the dark-eyed waiter. He gave her a smile and a wink and went off to fetch it. As the other five women chatted, Misao worked her way through the plate of nachos in front of her and the fresh margarita, thankful for the steady numbness of alcohol which was pleasantly blunting the world and casting a rosy glow over everything. She was just starting to feel cheerful again when the scrape of a chair and a familiar perfume apparated in front of her.

"So Misao, darling, tell me _all_ about the lawsuit. I am _so_ sorry to hear about it," Shura's strident voice was bouncing with friendliness, but Misao eyed her warily.

"It sucks but it's okay," Misao said carefully but Shura barely heard her.

"And it's so nice of _darling_ Aoshi to help you," Shura continued. "He always had a soft spot for those with...limited means." She made a clucking sound, "I should know, I've been a friend of his for years."

Misao doubted that Shura and Aoshi's acquaintanceship was that close, but Shura had known Megumi for years so it was understandable that the high-speed woman would have a good understanding of Aoshi's character. From the little interaction that Misao had experienced with Shura, she suspected the woman was a Class-A man-eater and a successful one at that. Why Megumi was friends with Shura, Misao did not know. Something about the woman grated on Misao's nerves and set her teeth on edge.

"Well, you seem to be holding up well, although you're a little peaked and bedraggled-looking, darling," Shura's bright eyes swept Misao narrowly. "I'll make sure to tell Aoshi that when I talk to him next. But you know Aoshi, works too hard that lovely man does. I keep telling him he needs to take more time for himself but he never listens. I do hope he doesn't wear himself out in this case, particularly when he has a lot of other _prior engagements_ to occupy his time with."

From her first meeting with Shura, Misao had never liked her much and as the Shura storm continued unabated, Misao downgraded her "dislike" to "loathe". It was rather transparent that Shura had an eye on Aoshi and was not happy that he had taken Misao on as a client. However, Misao could not help but glance wistfully at the glamorous, impeccably-groomed woman sitting next to her. Shura's designer dress showcased her fabulous curves in a subtly revealing manner that stopped just shy of being too immodest. An exquisite gold necklace and intricate earrings flashed and jangled as she moved about, and Misao was quite sure that Shura's brand-name shoes cost more than Misao spent on groceries in a month. Glancing down at her own attire of jeans and a long-sleeved graphic t-shirt, Misao noticed a worn spot appearing on her right knee and new scuffs on her shoes. Remembering how elegant and well-dressed Aoshi always was, Misao had to admit that Shura and Aoshi would make a handsome pair.

_Pfff,_ Misao tried to shake the thought away. _As if Aoshi would go for some shallow twit like Shura. _But shallow or not, Shura was a powerful businesswoman who knew how to maximize her brains and her looks to her advantage. She had numerous contacts in the business community and was a leader in her field. In contrast, Misao was a frazzled graduate student who had yet to start her career. There were Wal-Mart clothes in her closet along with a shinai and some throwing stars in, not Christian Louboutin, and it would likely stay that way – Misao was much too active and far too practical to fuss much with fancy clothing.

_But still_...Misao shook her head again and kicked her right ankle with her left foot to get herself back on track. _Finish graduate school. Win case. Help Gramps get back on his feet. Get a job. These are the only things you are allowed to focus on in the next four months. Get a __grip__, Makimachi. _

Luckily Shura shot to her feet, squealing, "Mr. Shanies! Oh, excuse me, darling," she cooed to Misao as she spotted one of her numerous acquaintances across the room and went shimmying over to meet him. Misao watched in mild amusement as Shura narrowed in on her next target. Mr. Shanies was a bald, middle-aged man sitting with a plump, rather frumpy woman whom Misao assumed was his wife, and the lady did not look pleased at all as this curvy, gorgeous young thing came slithering their way and began flapping all around him.

The rest of the second margarita joined the first as Misao picked up the last of the nachos, hoping Kaoru would finally burn through the top part of her excitement and be ready to leave relatively soon. But it was clear from Kaoru's happy face that she would be riding high on emotions for the next several days. She had barely touched the food in front of her, and Misao figured that her friend probably would be too excited to eat for awhile. Yawning, Misao tried to pull her attention towards the general conversation, which primarily involved the girls tossing out ideas for potential wedding venues.

_Yippee, I went through this once with Megumi and now with Kaoru. And probably next with Tae and then finishing the wedding madness with Tsubame. I'll end up even more broke, still single, and with a closet full of ugly dresses. Yay me. _For a moment, Misao allowed herself to indulge in a daydream of walking down the aisle in a gorgeous dress with Aoshi waiting at the front, his eyes glowing with happiness. To his right were Megumi, Kaoru, Tae, and Tsubame in hideous lime-green bridesmaid dresses. In the audience was Shura, heavily pregnant, struggling with three fighting children, and sitting next to a balding, chubby husband eyeballing a pretty young woman in the pew in front of him.

Suddenly Misao felt much, much better.


	7. Tension and Tree Houses

**Author's Note – I was going to entitle this chapter "The One Where Aoshi Still Has Yet to Grasp That Stressed Females Want Hugs and Chocolate, Not Advice" but that would have been a little long to fit. Oh well! Also, I just realized that I have been listing Aoshi's firm as Sullivan & Smith ****and**** Sullivan & Sons, so I am going back and correcting the mistakes. **

"Ha ha, that was _great_, Aoshi!" Misao shouted as they exited the courthouse. In jubilation, she did a little spontaneous tap dance on the concrete. "Did you see their faces? You ate them for lunch!"

"It was a successful hearing but it is a tad premature to celebrate quite yet, Misao," Aoshi said. "The case is definitely going in our favor, but it has not been won yet."

"I know, I know, but it's great to have something go well in my life for once," Misao smiled as she skipped in place besides Aoshi. It was a Tuesday at the beginning of March and the bleak, raw coldness of the last several days had moved aside for a rare day of sunshine and relative warmth. Misao angled her face towards the noon sun and let its rays sink into her skin, filling her with energy and life. Humming in pleasure, she stretched her arms behind her and closed her eyes, feeling strength and fresh optimism budding up inside her. When she opened her eyes again, they fell upon Aoshi who was watching her quietly, a rare smile lending a warm cast to his normally stoic, controlled face. She smiled brightly at him and felt a warm flush creep over her.

Remembering her idea that morning, Misao gave a little jump and said, "What kind of pizza do you like, Aoshi?"

"Hmm?" Aoshi said, the smile turning to a look of mild puzzlement.

"Pizza," Misao repeated. "What kind do you like?"

"Oh. Canadian bacon with red bell peppers," Aoshi responded. "But..."

"Just wait a second," Misao interrupted and fished her cellphone out of her purse, calling a well-known number. "Hi Lugio, it's Misao...I'm fine, thanks. How are you?...Yeah, I'd like to order three personal pizzas; one with Canadian bacon and red bell peppers, one of Gramp's regular, and one of my usual...Ten minutes? Okay, we'll be there." She clicked the phone off and reached for Aoshi's arm. "Come on, we're going to Orsi's!"

"Orsi's?" Aoshi repeated as he felt Misao's small arm slide through his companionably. She was so short that her elbow ended up practically level with her ear as she rested her arm in the crook of his, but for her size she was rather astonishingly strong as she towed him towards his car.

"You've never been to Orsi's?" Misao asked incredulously. "It's only the best pizza in Omaha and the owner's a friend of mine. Come on, we're going to Little Italy!"

Bemused, Aoshi allowed himself to be dragged forward and compliantly followed Misao's directions into a part of downtown Omaha he had not visited before. Houses gave way to factories and venerable, sagging buildings as Misao pointed the way and they soon pulled up outside a solid brick building with no windows. A plain door sat off to one side with a small sign resting on the top of it. "Here we are! Come on, Aoshi!" Misao burbled as Aoshi parked the car and followed her inside.

The door swung open into a small but religiously clean room with a red checked tile floor, a polished deli case, a soda machine, several racks of various food products, and the heavenly aroma of baking bread. A large white board listed dozens of different meats and cheeses for sale, and the walls were covered with framed newspaper clippings. Coming around the corner towards them was a short, dark Italian man who looked sixty but was likely much older, a cloth in his hands wiping flour from his fingers.

"Lugio! Hi!" Misao greeted him as the man's heavy eyebrows and wrinkled forehead lifted upwards.

"Little Misao!" the man said in a heavy Italian accent and bustled forward, scooping her up and kissing her loudly on both cheeks. Aoshi was surprised when a flare of jealousy rose up in him along with a brief but hearty desire to rip Misao from the old lecher's arms and show him how to properly kiss a woman. But he kicked that thought aside as Misao's excited voice caught his attention.

"Lugio, this is my attorney, Aoshi Shinomori. He is saving me from a crappy legal situation, so buying him some of your awesome pizza is the least I could do," Misao laughed. "He's never had Orsi's before."

"No?" The eyebrows were practically disappearing into Lugio's hairline which, despite his age, was still aggressively thick and black.

"I am afraid not, sir," Aoshi responded. "In fact, I admit this is the first time I have heard about your facility." Aoshi was surprised he had never heard of Orsi's before because judging by the numerous newspaper clippings around the room, the place was fairly well-known and an established part of Omaha's history.

Lugio was shaking his head and glaring at Aoshi if the lawyer had committed some grave offense. "No, no, no, not good," he said as he shuffled to the counter, tossing boxes around and muttering in a way that made Aoshi think the man was deeply affronted. "You take these now and learn, young man," Lugio said as he shoved four generously-sized boxes into Aoshi's arms. "How long have you lived in Omaha?" he demanded.

"Eight years," Aoshi responded.

Lugio wagged an accusatory finger at Aoshi. "And you know nothing about this town? Bah! You learn, young man! My great-grandfather came here from Sicily in 1890 with others, and they built this Little Italy area of Omaha." His chest puffed up with pride. "My grandfather and my father built Orsi's together. Eighty years my family has owned this place! Eighty! We had bricks sent from Italy to build the oven in 1918. Look!" Lugio dragged Aoshi, pizza boxes and all, over to a faded newspaper clipping that showcased a picture of two handsome, proud-looking men in aprons standing next to a brick oven. "My grandfather and my father," Lugio said. "Orsi's had fed Omaha almost a century. And you do not know it!" He glared at Aoshi who contrived to look chagrined.

"Then I will come back again so that you may teach me more," Aoshi responded quietly which seemed to mollify Lugio.

"Good. Do that soon. Eat now," Lugio ordered. "Pizza and cheese bread, the best in town," he indicated the boxes in Aoshi's arms which were growing steadily warmer as their heat soaked through the cardboard. "Misao, get drinks," Lugio ordered, gesturing at the soda cooler.

"Great, how much do I owe you?" Misao said, reaching for her purse. Aoshi was about to step in and cut her off when Lugio began making shooing motions towards the door.

"Pfff. Put your money away, child. You bring this young man back so that I may teach him more. Hear me, Misao?" he held up a warning finger. Someone bellowed something in Italian from the back room, and Lugio turned in irritation.

"_Sto arrivando.__ Sto arrivando_," he yelled back in a grumble but kept waving Misao and Aoshi towards the door. Misao grabbed a handful of napkins and two sodas from the cooler on her way out, and she and Aoshi found themselves ushered out in the quiet street. It was only then that Aoshi realized that Orsi's was take-out only; there had been no tables inside the small facility.

Misao laughed fondly, "Lugio's such a character. Gramps and I often go down to Orsi's, and Lugio loves giving Gramps a hard time. Those two together will talk for eighteen hours straight if you let them." Smiling at Aoshi, she said, "You're lucky Lugio didn't keep us there too long. Usually he's hard to escape from."

Aoshi balanced the boxes on the hood of the Saab and unlocked the door for Misao, then handed her their lunch. Getting back in the car, he said, "I think eating outside would be a good way to take advantage of this nice weather," and drove the car a few minutes away to the outdoor mall. Luckily there was an open parking slot near the pavilion. With its solid wood picnic table and good view of the mall, the pavilion was a nice spot.

The boxes, when cracked open, poured forth a torrent of garlic-scented aroma; Aoshi bit into a slice and smiled gently as oozing cheese, herbs, and tangy sauce spilled over his tongue. Misao had dug into her pizza enthusiastically, and the familiar food-bliss expression was creeping across her face. Whatever her "regular" was, it seemed to involve a complicated pile of several different types of meat buried under a thick cheese coating and a generous scattering of mushrooms.

After a few minutes of companionable chewing, Aoshi said quietly, "You are right. This is the best pizza in town. Megumi and I will need to get some."

"You're lucky you have Megumi," Misao said wistfully, and some of the brightness left her eyes. "I always wanted a sibling."

Aoshi said nothing for a moment, then put the half-finished slice down. "Megumi told me about your parents," he said gently. "I am very sorry."

Misao made a matter-of-fact shrug with her right shoulder. "It was a long time ago. I was ten years old."

"How did it happen?" Aoshi questioned.

"Car accident," Misao said. "Icy road plus concrete overpass they ran into head-on. They were coming back from a movie late at night. Mom died instantly; Dad died just as the ambulance got to the hospital." Her eyes dropped to the half-eaten pizza in front of her.

"That must have been very difficult growing up without parents," Aoshi commented, wondering if he should continue the topic. Misao didn't look happy about the current conversation and he knew that discussing the issue was painful for her, but he was seized with a curious desire to learn more about the dark-haired young woman in front of him. Misao was always so bright and positive despite the issues weighing her shoulders down, and he had come to admire her strength and determination.

"It was," Misao said, "But thank God I had Gramps. I don't know what I would have done without him. Gramps was always there for me from the moment I was born. Mom, Dad, and I had been living in Sioux Falls, SD when they died, and Gramps brought me to live in Omaha. That was tough too, having to deal with my parents' death and living in a new town at once."

Misao took a bite of pizza, chewed it meditatively, then continued after swallowing. "Fact is, I went through a rebellious streak in my early teen years; snuck out at night a lot, failed some classes, tried pot once or twice, got into several fights at school. But Gramps got on my case." A fond smile crossed Misao's lips. "He told me in no uncertain terms was I allowed to disgrace my parents' memory by engaging in such shameful behavior and that he'd beat my ass if I kept screwing up. He had me in the dojo training seven days a week working out my anger and aggression. I hated his guts for it, but he was right. By the time I was fourteen, I had gotten my head screwed back on straight and had decided that life sometimes just really blows and the only thing you can do is suck it up and play the hand that was dealt you. About that time I also realized I was really interested in chemistry and started signing up for any chem class I could get in high school."

Misao finished the rest of the slice and smiled wryly, "In fact, in a sick way I have my parents to thank for my education. Because I'm an orphan, I won this full-ride scholarship for orphans. I wrote a kick-ass sob story essay for the entry, and that paid for my undergraduate degree. I was top of my class in undergrad and won a partial scholarship for grad school, plus I get some of my tuition comped since I'm a teaching assistant. I'll graduate with less than $4,000 in total school debt, which is a cakewalk compared to some people I know. I know a girl who has over $200,000 in college loans, and she's working at a non-profit right now along with a part-time job. Poor kid," Misao looked angry and upset. "She'll never pay that off."

"Anyway," Misao dusted her hands off. "Enough of my sob story; what about you?"

"Megumi and I grew up in Honolulu, as you probably know," Aoshi said. "When I graduated from law school, I received several offers from around the country, but Sullivan & Smith's dedication to environmental issues is what drew me here. As a happy coincidence, Megumi was given a full scholarship to Creighton which helped solidify my decision to move to the Midwest."

"Do you like it here?" Misao asked.

"I admit I miss the beaches at times and the winters can become a little dismal," Aoshi answered honestly. "But yes, I do like it here very much. Omaha is home."

"What made you choose law school?" Misao asked. Her generously-sized pizza was finished and she was opening the third box which contained several fat slices of cheese bread. Pushing the box towards him, she gushed, "Best cheese bread in town! You've gotta try it!"

Obligingly, Aoshi took a piece and found that once again, Misao was right. After swallowing the bite, he responded, "Law runs in my family, and my father wanted me to become a lawyer."

"But what about _you_?" Misao said, her blue eyes direct. "Do you _like_ being a lawyer?"

"Yes, I do," Aoshi said. "It is an intellectual occupation that requires quick-thinking, diligence, and creativity. I had been fortunate enough to work on a variety of interesting cases over the years, and law is a good match for my skills and interests. Sullivan & Smith is a particularly unique firm, and I have been pleased to be part of it. It has been a great satisfaction to win cases that I know are contributing to the greater good."

Misao reached for another slice of cheese bread. "I'm glad. I'd hate to think your father pushed you into something that you didn't want to do." Misao knew that Aoshi was full-blooded Japanese and had been born in Japan, and it was evident that the old ways were heavily built into his nature. She was also full-blooded Japanese, but she was third-generation and her parents had been far more Americanized than she suspected Aoshi's parents were. Which probably explained why Gramps had been so hard on her during her brief spell of teenage rebellion.

"I am fortunate to have the family I do," Aoshi said. "Megumi and I are quite close, and we have a strong bond with our parents. My father is an excellent man, and I am honored to be his son. Mother is a kind woman who is very loving." Aoshi wiped his fingers on a napkin. "They will be here for the wedding, and I know you will enjoy meeting them."

"I look forward to it," Misao crinkled her nose at him and felt a little flutter of excitement at the thought of meeting Aoshi's parents. What's more, Aoshi's demeanor seemed to indicate that he looked forward to introducing Misao to his parents and that such an introduction would be perfectly natural and expected. _Well, we're both in the wedding and I am a friend of Megumi's so of course it's normal that Aoshi's parents would run into me eventually, _Misao reminded herself logically. _But still..._

Aoshi, however, was gathering up the remains of their feast. The fourth box had gone untouched, and he surmised it was for Misao's grandfather. Misao jumped to her feet and helped him clean up, then grabbed the remaining box and skipped happily towards the Saab. As normal, Aoshi courteously opened the door for her and let her enter. Sliding into the car and buckling his seatbelt, Aoshi questioned, "Back to campus?" He had picked her up in front of Williamson's library that morning.

Misao shook her head, "My dumb car was being stupid again today, so Kaoru dropped me off at campus. Can you actually bring me home?"

"Of course," Aoshi said and then frowned slightly as a thought occurred to him. "You have mentioned car problems before. I...assume that there is only one vehicle you and your grandfather share?"

"Yeah, Gramps' car finally bit the dust a little before Christmas, and we were both using mine while we scraped together some money for a new one. But then he had the stroke and still isn't quite ready to get behind the wheel again, so we are making do with my junk bucket," Misao kicked her seat back and leaned backwards, closing her eyes. "When I finally graduate and start working at AgriChem, the first thing I am buying is a car."

She smiled. "Gramps is really persnickety about going into debt and he'd rather do without than take out a loan on anything except a house, so we've been stuck driving beaters ever since I can remember. My first car was a _mess_ – the blinker stick broke off so I had to shove a ballpoint pen in the socket and wiggle it to make the blinker work. The driver side door wouldn't open from the inside so if I wanted to get out, I either had to crawl out the passenger side or roll my window down and open it from the outside. Plus sometimes I couldn't get the door shut tight enough so the stupid 'door ajar' alarm would buzz the entire time I was driving it. I was so glad when that thing finally died."

Aoshi decided that now was not the time to share with Misao that his graduation present for both high school and college had been a new car, so he merely pointed the Saab towards Dodge Street and said, "Lead the way."

Misao directed him forward and he drove forward in silence for a moment or two before Misao said, apropos of nothing, "Aoshi, something I forgot to ask you about because it didn't occur to me until recently, but aren't you putting yourself in a difficult situation taking on my case because of the lawsuit with AgriChem? I mean, I interned there and it seems like it wouldn't be the best move on your part to represent me when your firm is currently battling against AgriChem."

"You need not worry about that, Misao," Aoshi said dismissively. "If you were an actual employee there right now, that would have been a conflict of interest, but as of now you have no current connection with AgriChem. It is nothing you need to trouble yourself with. However," he frowned, "It is best if you keep your internship and your potential job offer quiet until the case is over."

"Okay," Misao yawned and closed her eyes again. The food was making her sleepy. Aoshi absentmindedly ran one finger over the wheel, thinking to himself. In fact, he was not being strictly honest with Misao. There had been a minor kerfuffle when Aoshi had presented the case to his superiors and had been thorough in explaining Misao's background and prior connections with AgriChem. However, Aoshi had quietly pointed out that Misao's future employment with AgriChem was not set in stone and had emphasized the importance of the case, so his superiors had conceded with a few grumbles. But Misao did not need to know that, so Aoshi merely directed the car forward and said nothing.

After about ten minutes of driving, they entered a neighborhood that was not quite decrepit but certainly veering in that direction. Many of the houses were old and tired-looking, and there was a general air of neglect throughout the different lots. However, the house that Misao pointed to was tidy and well-maintained, and Aoshi pulled his car into the driveway behind Misao's Ford Taurus that sat tiredly on the worn cement.

Misao swiveled around to thank Aoshi but she noticed to her surprise that he was turning the car off and unsnapping his seatbelt. "Do you want to come inside and meet Gramps?" she offered.

"That would be nice," Aoshi said and stepped out of the car. Misao waited as he walked around to her side and opened the door for her, taking the pizza box from her. In truth, Misao was a tad embarrassed to have Aoshi in her run-down neighborhood, especially considering the elegant one he resided in, but Aoshi showed no sign of disapproval at all. Pushing the front door open, she yelled, "Gramps, we have company!"

Aoshi stepped through the door into a neat, comfortable living room. An older man, tall with granite features and iron-gray hair, was sitting in a chair; he set the book down he was reading and slowly rose to his feet as the two younger people entered. Aoshi's quick eyes noted that the man was pushing himself up out of the chair with his hands but was putting most of his weight on his left arm.

"Gramps, this is Aoshi Shinomori, my lawyer. Aoshi, this is my grandpa, Okina Makimachi," Misao said, her eyes bright.

"I am most honored to meet you, sir," Aoshi said as he stepped forward, eyes fleeting over the slight sagging in Okina's right shoulder and along the right side of his face and wondered for a fraction of a second if offering his hand to shake would be embarrassing for the older man if he could not bring his own hand up to meet it. But a hard-knuckled, powerful-looking arm rose slowly, and Aoshi quickly grasped it in his: a callused palm met his and despite the stroke, there was strength still in the elder's grip.

"I am most pleased to meet you, Mr. Shinomori," Okina boomed, his voice filling the small room. "Misao tells me a great deal about you. I am most thankful for the care and concern you have taken for my granddaughter." He smiled fondly at Misao, then released Aoshi's hand. Aoshi ignored the spasm that suddenly shook the elder's hand as he lowered it. "Please, sit down. Misao," he directed. "Would you make us some tea?"

"Sure!" Misao burbled and raced towards a small kitchen, immediately filling it with clanking noises and leaving the two men alone in the living room. Aoshi was surprised when a pang of nervousness shot through him along with a strong urge to make a good impression on Misao's grandfather.

Okina chuckled, "Although I will warn you, Mr. Shinomori, my granddaughter's knack for cooking has yet to extend to proper tea preparation."

"I heard that!" a voice galloped out from the kitchen but further protests were halted by a ringing cellphone. "Hello?" Misao said and there was a note of anxiety in her voice. "Oh, hello, Bobby, how are you?...What?...But you said...? But...I see." The last two words were laced through with hardness and both Okina and Aoshi's eyes turned towards the kitchen, frowns lining their faces.

There was a long pause and Misao's voice dropped into darker, level tones. "I assume this has something to do with the lawsuit against me?..." A loud, incredulous sniff followed her sentence. "I want to speak with Mrs. Anderson about this...Well, please have her call me when she gets back...Thank you. Goodbye." Suddenly the kitchen was very quiet. Aoshi was perched on the end of his chair, straining to hear into the kitchen when the silence was broken by a series of loud, angry footsteps thundering out of the kitchen. A door slammed somewhere, leaving the two men alone.

Okina sighed. "Tree house," he stated.

Aoshi looked at him blankly. Okina repeated. "Tree house. I built it for her when she was five so that she could have some place to play when she visited. She still uses it whenever she is stressed or upset. The back door is through the kitchen."

Aoshi nodded and rose to his feet. Outside, the warm sun had turned to a dull gloom and the temperature had fallen. The backyard was a tiny plot of damp grass, and Aoshi picked his way across it to a broad tree hosting a study and impressive-looking tree house, glad he had not shed his trenchcoat inside. Climbing up a few rungs of the ladder, Aoshi poked his head through the hole to find Misao sitting on the floor of the tree house, her back to the wall and hands sunk deeply in the pockets of her violently purple coat. Aoshi slipped through the hole and fit himself into the tree house until he was crouched on the floor, his head nearly bumping the roof.

Misao said nothing, merely glared at the far end of the tree house as if she wanted to murder something, but Aoshi did not miss the glitter of tears in her eyes. Long moments passed with neither one saying anything. Finally Misao broke the silence.

"That was AgriChem. They just told me that they can't offer me a job come graduation," Misao said in a hard voice.

"I see," Aoshi said, feeling somewhat relieved. He knew Misao was upset, but he was glad the situation wasn't more dire. After a moment, the lawyer in him perked up and he questioned, "Did they make a formal offer to you in writing?"

"No, we just had a verbal agreement," Misao said angrily.

Aoshi sighed. "A verbal contract is not worth the paper it is printed on, Misao," he said, repeating the familiar quote.

"Thanks, Counselor, that's really helpful right now," Misao snarled and dug her hands more deeply into her pockets.

"Misao, I know you are upset, but you need to see things in perspective," Aoshi said calmly. "There are numerous industries around Omaha that have need of someone with your talents, not to mention that as a woman you will be particularly in demand since chemical engineering is a highly male-dominated field and companies need to fill their Equal Opportunities quotas. In fact, I am surprised you are not being inundated with job offers right now. Believe me, it will not be difficult for you to find a job when you graduate. If I were you, I would contact Kenshin; he likely knows of several positions and possible leads. I also will ask around at the firm; someone surely knows something about upcoming openings."

Aoshi's mind was occupied with logical solutions to Misao's current predicament, so much so that he failed to see the steadily growing storm of anger mounting on her face. When his cool eyes met her glowing ones, she finally spat out, "Aoshi, stop, okay? Just stop! Look, I'm really pissed off right now, and I don't need a bunch of advice. Would just leave me alone for awhile?"

"Alright, if that is what you wish," Aoshi replied levelly. "I do need to return to work." He moved his legs towards the ladder and said, "I will call you later this evening and see how you are." A quick movement and he disappeared down the ladder.

Misao heard his footsteps moving quietly towards the house and only then did her tears fall freely. _Damned man, couldn't he see that I just wanted him to hold me and let me cry? _she raged angrily as she wiped the tears away with a quick jerk of her sleeve. _Can't he ever stop lecturing me for one moment about what to do when I get stuck in one of these bad fixes? God, does he always have to have the emotional warmth of a freezer?_ Misao raged and sulked and fumed in the tree house for a good hour before she finally gathered the energy to see if her car was going to cooperate and carry her off to campus. She needed to bury herself in work to forget the stresses of the day.

The car did reluctantly wake up and made it to campus. Several hours later found Misao hiding in a fortress of journal articles at a library cubicle eating a dinner of Twinkies and Diet Dr. Pepper when her phone rang.

"Misao. How are you feeling?" Aoshi's calm voice reached out from the receiver.

"Hi Aoshi," Misao sighed and slithered to the floor to prop her back against the cubicle wall. "Okay I guess," she paused for a moment, then said softly. "Sorry I yelled. I wasn't being nice at all, and I know you were just trying to help."

"You were understandably upset," Aoshi said kindly. "But Misao, you truly do not need to worry. It is just a lost job offer and graduation is three months away. You have plenty of time and you will find a better offer. Top students from Williamson University do not have trouble finding excellent jobs."

"I know," Misao blew out tiredly through pursed lips. "I know."

"Are you at the library?" Aoshi questioned.

"Yup. Wanna read a journal article for me? Here," Misao reached for one from the stack on her desk. "This one's entitled _Partial Molar Volumes and Viscosity B-Coefficients of N,N' – Enthylene-bi (salicyclideneiminato)colbat(II) in Binary Mixtures. _Guaranteed to induce sleep in three minutes or less."

A slight rumble that served Aoshi as a chuckle sounded on the other end of the phone. "I shall remember that should I ever fall victim to a persistent case of insomnia."

Misao laughed a little too, then tucked her legs under her as she curled her hand around the phone. She had been furious with Aoshi all afternoon, but the sound of his voice had melted away her anger despite her determination to milk her grudge for all it was worth. Silence fell over them for a moment and finally Aoshi said, "Well, I should leave you to your studies. Goodnight, Misao, and drive home safely."

"Night, Aoshi," Misao responded and clicked the phone off. Suddenly happy again, she wanted desperately to knock her pile of work to the floor, scream "Screw it!" and go home, but reluctantly she picked up the deadly boring journal article and forced herself to read it, determinedly pushing away thoughts of Aoshi, the sudden loss of a job, and the other stresses in her life. Then again, coefficients were much more logical and predictable than lawsuits, job offers, and dangerously handsome lawyers with a perchance for rescuing helpless maidens.

_More predictable, yes, but certainly not as interesting, _Misao thought with a sigh.

**Author's note: Yes, there is a Little Italty area of Omaha and yes, Orsi's does exist. It did at one point have a brick oven made from bricks that were shipped over from Italy. However, today it has a conventional oven since the brick oven could not handle as much work as a conventional one. Some of the details I wrote in about Orsi's history are not quite accurate, but overall this is a pretty good description of the place. When you get to Omaha, get pizza from Orsi's. Yummy! Also, Misao's first car is exactly like my first car. It did indeed have all those problems. Boy was I glad to get rid of it. **


	8. Accusations and Affidavits

**Author's note: Things are up for Misao...then they're not. Aoshi saves the day again and a bunch of lawyerly stuff happens. Misao gets to inadvertently torment Aoshi (which was a heap of fun to write) and our madcap adventure continues! What do you all think? Reviews, please, please, please! Reviews make me inordinately happy and spur further ideas and general bursts of authorastic thrill. **

For all Misao's worry, Aoshi was right; a lost job offer was not the end of the world. Despite the manifold duties and demands she had on her time and the fact that she was running on five hours of sleep a night and copious amounts of Red Bull and sugar, Misao managed to carve out a few hours to polish up her resume and send it out to several leads. As he had promised, Aoshi called her a few days later with some contacts and reminded her again to talk to Kenshin who did indeed know about some potential openings. Within three weeks of her last conversation with AgriChem, Misao excitedly called Aoshi and squealed in delight when he picked up the phone.

"Aoshi, I got a job!" Misao yelped. She was driving home from her second interview in high spirits and cheerfully ignoring the steadily dying groan of her car as it lurched drunkenly back to campus.

"That is excellent news," Aoshi responded and sounded pleased. In the background, a cellphone rang over the murmured sounds of people talking, and Misao wondered if he was at court or the office. "Where at?" Aoshi questioned.

"At ConAgra!" she announced. "I'll be dealing with moisture analysis and viscosity ratings which are really my strong points, but I'll also be working with pneumatic conversions and emulsification synthesis which is kinda new for me but..."

The low rumble that signaled a rare display of mirth from Aoshi interrupted Misao's fluent stream of words. "Misao, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, but I am glad you are so happy."

"I'm _pumped_!" Misao shouted enthusiastically and accidentally jerked the wheel, taking the car on a brief but exhilarating tour of the opposite lane before yanking it back to avoid hitting an oncoming truck. Trying to calm herself slightly, she continued, "The job actually is going to end up being better than the AgriChem one and better pay too. They offered me $38,000 to start. That's $2,000 more than AgriChem was gonna offer!" Misao was so fuel-injected with adrenaline and excitement that Aoshi's next words took her completely by surprise.

"Did you negotiate for a higher salary?" Aoshi questioned.

Flummoxed, Misao stuttered, "N...no. But, but that's a pretty damned good salary, Aoshi."

"Always ask for what you are worth and don't sell yourself short, Misao," Aoshi responded calmly, his tones sliding into what Misao had taken to calling Aoshi's "blasted lawyerly voice" as he continued. "You are the top of your department and a student of Williamson and quite frankly you can name your salary. One of the reasons why women still only earn about 80 cents to every dollar men earn is that they tend to be less aggressive at negotiating for a higher salary. When I was interviewing for Sullivan & Smith, I managed to talk them into an extra $5,000 a year since I had a number of offers and could afford to play hardball. You also are in that position too."

"Well, that would have been nice to know a few weeks ago," Misao said a trifle testily. "I already took the job."

"Then you bring up salary at your one year review and renegotiate," Aoshi replied logically. "When the time comes, I'll walk you through what to discuss so you are prepared."

"Oh, okay," Misao said, smiling into the phone. "Thanks, Aoshi." But it wasn't the offer of help or even the idea of making more money that was causing Misao's face to break out into a beaming grin, it was the timing of the offer – Aoshi seemed to take it for granted that in a year he would still be dispensing lawyerly advice to Misao and helping her through sticky situations and that he wasn't planning on disappearing once the wedding was over. Just to hear that was worth missing out on what could have been a higher initial salary offering.

"Okay, next year I shake ConAgra down for a big fat salary and then buy Gramps a Ferrari," Misao announced into the phone. "Until then, well, you don't know how awesome $38,000 a year sounds, Aoshi! I can finally get rid of this stupid junk bucket and stop living off ramen noodles! Plus, I can pay any medical bills Gramps generated with his stroke. Luckily one thing Gramps always insisted we not skimp on was decent health insurance, so as of now, our insurance company has been pretty good about covering the bills for his stroke. But they're probably will be giving us some grief in the future and they'll likely be bills coming in," she finished with a sigh.

"Then we will cross that bridge as it comes," Aoshi said. "But until then, we have your current battle to fight."

"I know," Misao said, smiling again at the double use of the pronoun "we", then groaned. "I am so _sick_ of this stupid lawsuit, Aoshi. It's been two months, and it feels like an eternity."

"Lawsuits are time-consuming," Aoshi responded calmly. "There are many factors to consider and areas to explore to allow for a fair trial. We are lucky that we are not in some country where justice is a brief trial where the accused is not allowed to defend himself, swiftly followed by a beheading."

"I know, I know," Misao sighed. "I'm just sorry it is taking up so much of your time."

"Don't worry about that, Misao," Aoshi rumbled. "You have far more on your plate than I do." A though occurred to him as a slight frown crossed his face. "Are you still working at the store on the weekends?" Since Aoshi was currently standing in an elevator elbow-to-ribs with assorted legal professionals, he couldn't quite bring himself to mention the popular intimates store by name.

"Heck no," Misao snorted. "When Gramps got his stroke, I had to quit – there was _no_ way I could keep up with everything and still work there. Besides," she giggled. "I have to admit that a nice chunk of each paycheck never left the store. Victoria's Secret has _way_ too many cute things that kept begging to be purchased and taken home. At this point, I have enough lingerie to open my _own_ store."

With boundless enthusiasm, Aoshi's brain instantly conjured up an image of one of the lacy little skimpy things Megumi had held up for his inspection at Victoria's Secret months ago, then mentally Photoshopped it into a memory of Misao belly dancing her way around his kitchen. Groaning soundlessly, he closed his eyes and tried desperately to think of something less erotic. Of all the times to dive headfirst into a wildly inappropriate fantasy, buried in the middle of an elevator surrounded by lawyers in somber business clothes talking about affidavits and trustees was decidedly not one of them.

Misao, however, kept babbling cheerfully about the contents of her lingerie drawer, innocent of what effects her disclosures were having on the other end of the line. "Gramps is such a penny-pincher he would always examine me for suspicious pink bags every time I came home from work. I tried to convince him that they were all test samples, but I don't think he bought it. But then I realized that if I wore my new stuff home under my clothes, he was none the wiser."

_Misao, please please shut up or my powers of concentration will be utterly and completely shattered for the remainder of the day, _Aoshi pleaded silently, trying to distract himself with thinking about Misao's intellectual property case to little effect. Before Misao could diverge further information about her collection of delicates or his mind could scamper freely into the vast jungle of wild speculation, he grabbed hold of a passing tail of rational thought and clung to it grimly.

"You forwarded me all the emails you have sent and received from all the professors in the chemical engineering department, haven't you?" he said, a tad abruptly. "We have another hearing in three days."

"Yup, did that last month and have sent you all the others I have gotten since then," Misao responded. "Although there really haven't been much of them – I'm pretty much the pariah of the department as of lately and everyone's giving me a wide berth. That means I have the lab to myself a _lot_ of times," she grinned.

"You have two months until graduation," Aoshi said. "You are almost there. Eventually all this will be over."

"Yes, but I'm not going to graduation," Misao announced.

"Why not?" Aoshi questioned.

"Because at this point I totally and utterly hate Williamson University and graduations are long, pointless affairs with stupid speeches that all use the same worn-out catchphrases and the audience is rude and noisy and use those damned airhorns during graduation and I look ridiculous in academic attire and my hood is going to be frickin' pink and green, so I'll look like a walking Easter egg. I'm not going."

"Very well," Aoshi said. "But you should have some sort of celebration."

"I will: I'm going to borrow your house and make a tremendous mess in the kitchen and invite a ton of people over to feed them until they can't move." Misao meant it as a joke and was surprised with Aoshi responded seriously.

"That is certainly an option. You also mentioned Soaring Wings awhile ago: perhaps it might be nice to take a group of people there."

"Ooh! That's a great idea!" Misao squealed. "That is assuming I am alert, sane, and functional by the time graduation rolls around. I just very well may be a stumbling zombie spitting out heat transfer formulas and attempting to rip the heads off passing pedestrians by then."

"I have no doubt you will survive..." Aoshi began, then paused for a moment. "Misao, I do need to take this phone call. I will pick you up in front of the library on Friday, okay?"

"Sure, see you then!" Misao chirped, then clicked her phone off. Excitement was still racing through her veins and the absolute last thing she wanted to do was go back to campus and face the tottering pile of work and grading awaiting her. Gripping the wheel tightly, she launched into a long pep talk. "Two more months, Makimachi, two more months. Then maybe you can run away to Fiji with Aoshi and spend the rest of your life drinking banana daiquiris and feeding each other passion fruit and pineapple." The thought was overwhelmingly appealing, but Misao pounded her fist resolutely on the steering wheel. "Two more months." It was becoming her mantra. However, right now she was feeling so upbeat that it was easy to push all the stresses aside and concentrate on her recent good fortune. _I love my life!_ she thought happily.

* * *

><p>"I hate, hate, HATE my life!" Misao sobbed despairingly into Kaoru's couch pillow, pounding her fists against the upholstery as Kaoru rubbed her back soothingly and tried to calm her agitated friend with a cup of peppermint tea. Ignoring the fragrant brew, Misao continued to pummel the worn couch underneath her as she broke free in a torrent of laments.<p>

"I am so stressed right now I can't even sleep at night even if I have the time to which I don't and I _know_ I'm losing my place as top student because I can't concentrate on my work and none of my formulas are working out and I totally blew off a deadline for the journal article I _finally_ managed to get accepted into that new journal and the lawsuit is just a total piece of crap and I am so, so afraid we are going to lose and Gramps just got a _huge_ medical bill that the insurance company is refusing to pay and I _know_ my car is not going to last until graduation and why in _God's_ name did Megumi pick May 3rd, the weekend before graduation for the wedding I know I should have said something but I thought I could pull off being a bridesmaid but there is no way I can do this and..."

"Misao, _stop_," Kaoru said firmly. "Sit up right now and calm down." Shaking Misao slightly, Kaoru managed to haul her up from the couch and pull Misao's puffy, tear-streaked face towards her. "Here, drink this," Kaoru shoved the teacup into Misao's hands. Misao hiccuped and took a shaky sip, almost spilling the hot liquid on her lap. Taking her own cup, Kaoru sat next to Misao, their knees and shoulders pressed companionably together.

"I know you're stressed out of your mind and kinda brainless right now, and I'm so sorry, Misao," Kaoru said kindly. "But everything really is going to be okay. Aoshi won't lose the lawsuit and you can borrow my car if you need to – I spent a lot of time at home writing anyway. You may lose your spot as the top student but at this point you have a great job offer and as long as you keep your GPA up, it's really not going to matter. You've got to just calm down and relax and trust that it's all going to be okay. I know it will be."

Hiccuping again, Misao sniffed and took another drink of tea. Blinking back some tears, she said in a cracked voice, "I know, it's just the hearing today was really awful." Just the mention of it brought painful memories to her mind as unbidden, voices and images flashed into the forefront of her consciousness.

_Misao sat next to Aoshi, stacks of paper and files sitting in precise, geometric patterns on the table in front of them. On the other side of the room, the plaintiff representation was dwindling, much to Misao's delight. Of the ten people that had stood against her at the first hearing, only five were present at the table, and the two academics looked rather irritated and bored. The third academic, Professor Garrin was sitting in the witness stand, and Misao amused herself by staring at her adviser/adversary in the best death glower she could muster._

"_Is there anything more you would like to add to the proceeding?" the judge questioned the professor. _

"_Well, yes, Your Honor," the professor said, looking a trifle uncomfortable. "In fact, I've been hesitant to bring this up; I didn't want to seem like I was trying to destroy Ms. Makimachi's character. But the fact is Your Honor, this is relevant to the case, and I must disclose it." _

"_And that is?" the judge questioned. _

_Professor Garrin fidgeted, "The truth is Your Honor, Ms. Makimachi has lodged a case of sexual discrimination specifically against me and my department. But I must be honest, Your Honor. Ms. Makimachi, on a number of occasions, propositioned me throughout the two years I have functioned as her adviser." _

_A murmur swept through the crowd as Misao's voice dropped to her lap and she surged forward angrily. A cool but firm hand on her shoulder pressed her back into her chair as the slightest movement of Aoshi's head bid her to be silent. Angrily, Misao pressed her lips together and crossed her arms over her chest, staring at her adviser with furious eyes. _

"_Can you elaborate?" _

"_Well, yes, Your Honor. The first incident occurred during Ms. Makimachi's first semester in the department. She was taking my Thermal Coefficients Theory class and had received an A- on a paper which she was upset with, so she had come to my office to discuss her grade with me. I remember quite clearly she was wearing a low-cut top and a short skirt during her visit, which was unusual attire for her. When we were talking about the paper, she began rubbing her leg against mine in a way that was clearly not accidental. Although I discretely tried to pull my leg away, she was persistent in maintaining physical contact, much to my embarrassment and discomfort." _

_Garrin made a grim face. "During the conversation, Ms. Makimachi very distinctly said, 'I am willing to work with you to do whatever I can to improve this grade' and as she did that, she ran her fingers over my arm. I pretended to misunderstand what she was implying and kept the conversation focused on the weaknesses in her paper, but I was quite taken aback by Ms. Makimachi's behavior and confused by it. I am a married man, Your Honor and am careful to maintain propriety with my female students, so this incident was very disturbing." The professor stopped talking for a second and cleared his throat. _

_Misao's throat tightened as she gritted her teeth angrily. It was true, she had visited Professor Garrin about a less-than-perfect grade on a paper for that specific class, but she had merely wanted to know more about some of the weaknesses he had pointed out and the formulas she had not calculated efficiently. She had said nothing about wanting to improve her grades. While Misao couldn't exactly remember what she was wearing at the time, her wardrobe was decidedly lacking in short and skimpy clothing. _

"_Were there other incidents of this kind?" the judge questioned. _

"_Yes Your Honor, there were five separate incidents like this throughout Ms. Makimachi's graduate studies, although I am unaware if other instructors or male students in the department were subject to the same behaviors from Ms. Makimachi." _

_Misao was gripping the table so hard that she was practically digging grooves into the wood and she was beginning to shake with fury and humiliation. At her side, Aoshi was poised and calm; in opposition to the fiery heat of rage building in her, a decided chill was settling over the lawyer that Misao could sense. _

"_Defense, do you wish to question the witness?" the judge asked. _

"_Yes, Your Honor," Aoshi stated coolly. Rising smoothly to his feet, Aoshi approached the witness stand. _

"_Professor Garrin, you have stated that there were five separate times my client allegedly propositioned you, is that correct?" _

"_Yes," the professor responded. _

"_Please state the exact dates and times each event occurred." _

"_The first event was fall semester 2008 in October, I believe." _

"_The exact date and time, if you please," Aoshi repeated. _

_The professor looked a trifle crestfallen. Somewhat hesitantly, he said "I think it was October 19__th__ around 2:00 in the afternoon." _

"_Are you certain of that date?" _

"_Yes, yes, I am fairly certain," Professor Garrin said with more confidence. _

_Aoshi stared at him coldly, "You will find if you consult a calendar that October 19__th__, 2008 was a Sunday, Professor Garrin. Are you in the habit of holding office hours during the weekend?" Aoshi was extremely thankful that his mother's birthday was October 19__th__ and while on the spot, he had just happen to recall that it had fallen on a Sunday that year. The preciseness of Aoshi's dating seemed to take the professor aback. _

"_Then it was the following Monday," the professor corrected himself. _

"_Very well, the dates and times of the other incidences?" Aoshi continued. _

"_Spring 2009 in early April, then again in May, and..." the professor continued but Aoshi interrupted him. _

"_To be brief, Professor Garrin, you do not have specific times and dates you can offer me. I am actually quite astonished that you do not. Why did you not record or report these events as they happened?" _

"_Well, to be honest, I did not wish to cause a great deal of humiliation for Ms. Makimachi. While we have had our differences, she is a brilliant student with an enormous amount of skills and abilities. These events, while uncomfortable and confusing to me, were not severe enough that I felt they warranted reporting. I merely took precautionary measures to ensure that I was not alone with Ms. Makimachi for long periods of time." _

"_While that was noble of you, Professor Garrin," Aoshi said with a cool veneer of sarcasm, "It was exceedingly foolish on your part not to record these events and report them to your superiors for your own protection. As it stands, you do not have clear times and dates that can be verified with outside sources." Staring at the instructor with a hard look, Aoshi continued, "Did you make anyone else in the department aware of these incidences? Can you call any witnesses to testify on your behalf?" _

_Looking slightly chagrined, Professor Garrin said, "Currently no, but if..."_

_Aoshi interrupted him. "Very well. Can you at least tell me where these incidences took place?" _

"_In my office," the professor replied promptly. _

_The barest hint of a grim smile twitched on Aoshi's face. "Then would you please describe your office to the jury?" _

"_My office?" the professor responded with a look of puzzlement. _

"_Yes, your office. Specifically your door." _

"_My door? Well, it's a door. A glass one to be specific." _

"_And your office's location in the department?" Aoshi pressed. _

"_Up front near the administrator's desk," Professor Garrin stated. _

"_Your office is, in fact, visible from the main entrance of the department and in a highly trafficked area and the fact that your door is glass means that even when it is closed, the occupants of the room are easily visible to much of the department, including the administrator stationed at the entrance," Aoshi stated coolly. "Furthermore, Professor Garrin, your office contains a desk and one visitor chair in front of it. If you were consulting with Ms. Makimachi while you were sitting behind your desk, it would have been extremely difficult for her to make physical contact with your leg. If you had pulled your chair to the other side of the desk and were sitting with her side-by-side, your actions would have been easily visible by others in the department. In that case, I expect that you will not find it difficult to bring forth witnesses to collaborate your story." _

_Misao's eyes kept flitting from Aoshi's cool, composed face to the reddening, tight-looking countenance of Professor Garrin. She felt a rush of understanding as she recalled the endless grilling Aoshi had subjected her about what she thought were trivial details regarding the case. He had been insistent that she carefully describe all the areas of campus she frequented and the interactions she had undergone with various professors, specifically Professor Garrin. Misao had wondered what possible relevance these details had to the case but watching Aoshi calmly ripping Garrin's account to shreds, she knew that Aoshi must have anticipated something like this and planned accordingly. His foresight and level of preparation astonished her greatly and helped lift her spirits just a trifle. _

"_I'm, I'm sure I could bring forth witnesses," Professor Garrin stated but he didn't look confident. _

_Aoshi sniffed just enough to be faintly audible. "As of now, Professor Garrin, you have no clear dates or times to match to your accusations, your story is faulty, and you have no witnesses to offer." Turning away from the man, Aoshi faced the judge. "Thank you, Your Honor. I have no further questions." _

"_Very well. Plaintiff?" the judge responded. _

"_No, Your Honor, no further questions." _

"_Then you may sit down, Professor Garrin," the judge said as both Aoshi and the professor returned to their seats. The rest of the proceeding was a blur to Misao as she fought to control her temper and calm the churning sea of anger inside her. It wasn't until a gavel banged that she was jerked from her revere and brought back to the present. _

_Aoshi put a calm hand on her shoulder. "Come, Misao," he said quietly and they left the room. Outside in the sunny late-March weather, the day was growing warm and buds were swelling on the trees lining the court building, but Misao was far too consumed with anger and shock to pay much attention. A trio of voices caught her attention as feet thumped their way. _

"_Ms. Makimachi, Ms. Makimachi, Crystal Newgan from the Omaha World Herald. We'd like to ask you a few questions," a breathless voice burst out from a tall, blond woman as a press camera and a video lens swiveled their direction. Aoshi frowned slightly and put a firm hand under Misao's arm, steering her forward. _

"_No comment," Aoshi said flatly but the reporter, photographer, and camera person followed them, snapping pictures and asking probing questions. _

"_Ms. Makimachi, is it true Professor Garrin has accused you of sexual misconduct?" the reporter pressed. Misao's fingers twisted, consumed with desire to form a hard fist and plant it directly in the reporter's face. She was grateful for how Aoshi positioned himself between her and the media people, angling his shoulders to block their way and shield Misao from view. _

"_My client has no comment," Aoshi repeated, deftly steering Misao forward as she struggled to keep up with his long legs. In a few moments, they were safely ensconced in Aoshi's Saab, closing the door on the persistent media personnel. Aoshi started the car and moved it through the parking garage as Misao curled up in a small knot on the seat and stared numbly out the window. _

_After a few moments of silence, Aoshi said gently, "Are you alright, Misao?" _

_Misao said nothing for a second, then responded with a touch of grim humor, "So I see why you asked me all those stupid questions about the layout of the department." _

"_No detail is irrelevant to a case, Misao," Aoshi said. "I had to consider all possible outcomes and prepare accordingly. Yet," a chill settled over his voice, "I am most displeased that the department stooped to such a level." _

_Misao bit her lip angrily. She had never felt so humiliated and infuriated in her life. "You know, a katana or a set of kunai would solve this problem rather nicely," she said darkly. _

"_The thought has occurred to me," Aoshi responded and he was only half-joking. He had never wanted to remove someone's head from his shoulders as much as he wanted to slaughter every person sitting at the plaintiff's table before rampaging through the entire chemical engineering department and leaving a pile of bloody corpses behind him. Remembering Misao's pain and public humiliation in the face of the blatant lies leveled against her, he gripped the steering wheel and forced himself to regain his center, push aside the anger, and focus on the case. _

"_If I am not mistaken, and I doubt I am, Garrin pulled that particular stunt on his own without consulting his lawyers," Aoshi said, forcing calmness into his voice."His story was weak and full of holes, and it is painfully obvious he did not think it through clearly. His lawyers are no doubt dressing him down thoroughly for attempting such a ridiculous feat which means that next time he takes the stand, he will have a much tighter story. However, he already made himself look extremely foolish and any further attempts on his part to support his claim will be easy to discredit. The damage has already been done." _

_Misao was infinitely, overwhelmingly appreciative that Aoshi didn't question her if there was any truth to Garrin's claims; he took it for granted that the professor was lying and acted accordingly. At this point, Misao didn't know how well she would have responded to an inquiry about any possible validity to the accusations, no matter how it was presented._

_Rather than saying anything, Misao took out her cellphone and tapped out a few text messages. After a minute, she said quietly, "Can you bring me to Kaoru's apartment, Aoshi? It's just down the street. I...I really don't want to go back to campus right now." _

"_Of course," Aoshi responded and in a few minutes was dropping Misao off at the front of Kaoru's apartment building. His eyes bore a look of concern as he said quietly, "Call me later this evening when you have some time." _

"_Will do. Thanks, Aoshi!" Misao said with false cheerfulness, not wanting him to worry, then disappeared into the building to find Kaoru. _

* * *

><p>Kaoru winced. "That's just awful, Misao! I can't believe you're having to go through this!" Her blue eyes were turning murderous as she said, "Want me to ask Kenshin to take care of Garrin for you?"<p>

Misao tried to laugh, "No, I want to do it myself." She had finished most of the second cup of tea Kaoru had insisted she drink and was slowly trying to choke down a homemade cookie, hampered by the fact that her stomach was tightly twisted up in knots, both with stress and because prior exposure to Kaoru's baking skills had it churning with alarm. Suddenly, a yawn escaped unbidden from her jaws.

"You need a nap," Kaoru announced, pulling the cup from Misao's hands.

"I need to get back to work," Misao said, feeling her neck screaming from the tension as fatigue and stress dragged at her bones.

"No, you need to sleep," Kaoru said firmly, yanking a blanket from the couch and draping it over Misao.

"Kaoru, I have a pile of papers and a lab experiment to..." Misao began but Kaoru snatched up Misao's purse and stood up, turning off the light in the living room and pulling the curtains shut.

"You go the lab now and you're going to blow something up," she said decidedly. "I am kidnapping your phone and forcing you to stay here. You can't call anyone for a ride and it's too far to walk to campus. You're taking a nap before you have a nervous breakdown, and that's final."

Misao yawned again as she felt anger and frustration struggling to achieve mastery over logic. She knew Kaoru was right but she was terrified of falling behind in the rat race that had become her life. Another enormous yawn shook her as she reluctantly put her head down on the pillow. _Maybe just a little powernap,_ she thought to herself as oblivion quickly claimed her.

* * *

><p>Cold rage poured off Aoshi in palpable waves as he stalked into his office, his outwardly calm exterior a thin skim of civility layered over the anger looming inside him. His secretary winced and suddenly cast about frantically for something to make her look busy and productive as he strode up to her. "Susan, cancel all my appointments for today, please," he said with a level voice laced through with a warning rumble. "I need the afternoon clear." The plump, middle-aged woman nodded silently and turned her eyes back to the computer as Aoshi rolled into his office, his mind clicking with thoughts. Reaching for the phone, he dialed an extension and spoke into the receiver, "Yahiko please come to my office immediately."<p>

The young man practically apparated to his superior's side as Aoshi quickly rapped out a long list of duties and commands, then dismissed his research assistant. Yahiko nodded and disappeared, his eyes wide with intent and worry.

Trying to calm himself, Aoshi removed his shoes and knelt on the ground, back straight, hands positioned on his lap, and forced himself to mentally walk through a meditation exercise. Only with extreme control and determination did he force his mind away from the morning's hearing and Misao's humiliated, angry expression. Breathing deeply and evenly, he reached inward, searching for the serenity and peace tucked away in his core. Only when the anger had passed and he felt calmness seizing control again did he open his eyes.

_Time to end this,_ he thought grimly. _Misao has gone through enough. I will not allow her to suffer further, not when I can protect her. _With that thought, he rose to his feet, resolute and determined to win the battle before him.

**Whew! And I though my grad school experience was rough! But hang in there, oh faithful readers, Misao's life will get better, I promise! **


	9. Hilarities and Humiliations

**Author's Note: the second scene in this chapter was inspired by Itachi Misao – thanks for the idea! I initially wrote it off but the idea stuck in my head and demanded to be written, so here it is!**

Aoshi stifled a yawn as he walked out of the elevator and headed tiredly towards his office. It was 7:47 a.m. and the halls were filling with legal professionals starting the morning. Aoshi tried to recall what day it was and for a brief moment, his mind drew a blank. _Monday. Misao's last hearing was three days ago, _he reminded himself and closed his eyes briefly as he felt the beginnings of a headache pricking at the base of his neck. He had been working seven days a week for so long that days and nights were blurring together; he was beginning to forget what it was like to wake up and not automatically prepare for another long day at the office.

Pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly, Aoshi thought, _I need a vacation. _His overworked brain, churning with a hailstorm of data and problems, still had enough bandwidth to conjure up an image of Misao in a bikini, a deserted beach, pina coladas for two, and a gorgeous sunset with nary a legal brief in sight. Smiling faintly, Aoshi unfettered his imagination for a few indulgent moments, then resolutely walked through the door of his office.

"Good morning, Mr. Shinomori," Susan greeted him and he nodded at her as pleasantly as he could muster. "Interesting article in the paper today. I left it on your desk," she informed him without taking her eyes off the computer. Aoshi did indeed find the morning's copy of the _Omaha World Herald_ with the Midland's section on top, a prominent picture of him and Misao decorating the front. Aoshi picked up the newspaper and was pleased to see that the shot was suitably flattering: Misao wore a determined, dignified expression and Aoshi was standing at her side, a hand placed protectively on her shoulder as he stared coolly at the media personnel swarming them.

The article did a nice job of supporting Misao and making Williamson University look like a greedy, manipulative institute run by narrow-minded white male chauvinists stuck in archaic practices and notions. While the article did skim briefly over Garrin's latest accusations against Misao, by and large the writer focused on the mishaps of Williamson University and showed a clear bias towards Misao's case. Although Aoshi generally preferred to receive his information as unslanted as possible, the lawyer in him was pleased to find such a flattering article splayed across the front page and he was interested to see what would happen as the morning's edition spread across Omaha. Many of Sullivan & Smith clients were alumni of Williamson and donated a good portion of their salaries to supporting the college. Most unfortunately for the institute, most of these same clients were also dedicated environmentalists with a keen philanthropic bent: they would be less than pleased that their alma mater had been accused of sexual discrimination and was trying to seize control of an important humanitarian invention.

Setting the newspaper aside, Aoshi made a mental note to circulate the article around the firm and see that it got into the hands of as many clients as possible. Nothing would take the fight out of Williamson like a sharp decrease in donations. He also thought of Misao and how she needed to see the article but as he reached for his Blackberry, he frowned, recalling that she had said Mondays were her busiest days. Instead, he opened his email and groaned quietly as a long list of unread messages flashed across the screen.

Aoshi was slogging diligently through the email onslaught when his office phone rang. "Mr. Shinomori, a call for you on line one." Aoshi picked it up and winced as Shura's loud voice clanged through the receiver.

"Darling man! How are you?" Shura babbled, her normally full-throttle voice even more resonant. Aoshi suspected a double latte was involved and he frowned into the phone. Ever since the engagement party back at the end of December, Shura had made periodic calls to Aoshi's Blackberry which he had either managed to ignore or end quickly. The woman was persistent, he had to give her credit for that. Shura hadn't gotten to the top of her profession by being demure and withdrawn, but Aoshi had made it abundantly clear, short of telling her directly, that he had no interest in any sort of relationship with her. Apparently she had decided to ignore his nonverbal stop signs and step up her game a bit. _I'll have to speak with Susan about being more diligent screening my calls,_ he thought darkly. The last thing he needed was Shura badgering his office and taking up valuable billing time.

As if reading his thoughts, Shura breezed, "So sorry to call you on your work line, darling, but would you believe that I left my cellphone somewhere?" She sounded a fake laugh and continued to steamroll forward. "Anyway, Tae and I have been putting together a _wonderful_ soiree for Megumi's bachelorette party, and I wanted to ask you if Megumi is scheduled to work April 25th or if she has any other plans."

"I don't know," Aoshi replied. "Megumi and I both have been so busy that we don't keep track of each other's schedules very much. You should ask her," he said pointedly.

"Oh no, this is going to be a surprise," Shura purred. "Telling her would ruin all the fun, and we wouldn't want that, would we?" There was a suggestive lilt to Shura's voice and Aoshi sighed quietly.

"So could you be a darling and find out for me, please?" Shura's voice was silky and Aoshi could practically feel her fingers poking through the receiver towards him, trying to stroke him on the cheek.

"I'll see what I can do, but you are better off contacting Kaoru or seeing if Tae can find out at the hospital," Aoshi said. Tae was the executive manager for the food services department at the hospital, and her position allowed her to know just about everything that happened in the entire building and surrounding areas. Knowing Shura wouldn't be content with that response, Aoshi was about to cobble together some excuse to hang the phone up when a real one appeared in the form of Susan beeping in through the phone's intercom system.

"Mr. Shinomori, Mr. Himura is on line two for you."

Gratefully, Aoshi said into the receiver, "Shura, I need to take this call. Have a nice day," and quickly hung up on her before she could protest. With a sigh of relief, he punched the other line, silently thanking his friend for the timely save.

"Hello Kenshin, how are the wedding plans coming along?" he said into the phone. The the past three months, he and Kenshin had been working together closely on a number of issues for Kenshin's firm and Aoshi had appreciated the chances to strengthen his friendship with the fellow swordsman.

A chuckle on the other end met him. "Could I possibly interest you in being a groomsman?" the red-head responded.

"I would be honored," Aoshi accepted.

"Excellent." Aoshi could hear the smile in Kenshin's voice but the man's next words caught him by surprise. "You might be relieved to know that you won't have to worry about a tuxedo."

"Indeed?" Aoshi's brow quirked. "And why is that?"

Kenshin laughed again. "Kaoru wants all of us men in hakama and gi with haori she is having custom made and also with swords. Or, in your case, kodachi."

"Really?" Aoshi said. Pondering this for a moment, he responded, "That sounds exactly like Kaoru and, come to think of it, you too."

"There will be kimono for the women," Kenshin added. Aoshi's mind, never one to miss an opportunity to plunge wildly into speculation, created a picture of Misao demurely attired in an elegant kimono, her eyes smiling shyly at him before seizing a handful of kunai and scampering off madly to go skewer something.

_I need to get out more,_ Aoshi rubbed his forehead._ My brain is starting to turn against itself. _

* * *

><p>"Can't read my, no he can't read my POKER FACE!" Kaoru caterwauled dramatically into Megumi's hairbrush as Misao accompanied with a mean air guitar solo and Megumi threw rolled-up socks at the musical duo while laughing hysterically. Lady Gaga blared loudly from Misao's Ipod and poured through Megumi's open bedroom door to fill the entire house with sound. It was 3:30 in the afternoon and three women were all so stressed and delirious from a multitude of demanding issues that they had reached the nirvana point of enlightened exhaustion where everything remotely amusing is automatically deemed hilarious. Megumi was practically brain-dead from wedding and job stress while Kaoru had three separate writing projects that needed to be finished yesterday plus she was still riding high on engagement euphoria and Misao was still battling through her lawsuitgrad school/money problems madness that was her life; when Megumi called the other two up and asked them to come over and try on the bridesmaid dresses that had just been delivered, they had dropped everything and ran for Kaoru's car. Misao had been over at Kaoru's apartment doggedly working her way through a pile of quizzes to grade, and she had gleefully abandoned them as quickly as Kaoru had kicked aside her writing projects.

Several bottles of Starbucks caramel latte drinks, a conspicuously empty bag of Dove dark chocolate, and a slew of crumpled-up foil wrappers littered the floor and were partly responsible for the high-octane giggiliness emanating from the room. Megumi lay propped up against her pillows watching and laughing as two of her bridesmaids capered around the room attired in matching dresses of soft lavender with a slim silhouette, twisted spaghetti straps, and a silky silver ribbon tied just under the criss-crossed empire waist bodice. The dresses were elegant and set off the women's figures splendidly, but the garments' beauty was rather diminished by the helplessly shrieking females writhing around inside them.

Kaoru ended "Poker Face" with a dramatic screech, then put the hairbrush down, gasping for breath. "I gotta take this thing off before I rip it," she laughed as she unzipped the dress and pulled it off. Misao, however, was running on three hours of sleep and far too much caffeine and when her Ipod switched from Lady Gaga to her favorite Abney Park song, a wild idea seized her fevered brain and inspired further insanity.

The opening bars of "She" poured over the speakers as Misao flashed Kaoru and Megumi a wicked smile and began rolling her hips suggestively, pushing the straps down her shoulders in time to the music and pouting seductively at them.

"Woo, whoo!" Kaoru caterwauled as Megumi sounded a woof whistle and giggled loudly. That was all the encouragement Misao needed; the zipper loosened and the silky dress inched slowly down Misao's frame as her two audience members catcalled and laughed uproariously, practically falling over each other in hilarity. Misao let the dress slide to the floor and slithered her way out of it, deeply feeling the beat of the music as her body responded to it enthusiastically. In her undergraduate days, she had squeezed in two semesters of belly dancing and had once taken a pole dancing class, and the lessons came back to her as she shimmied and rolled her way across the room, feeling the music dancing in her veins as exhausted delirium pushed away social constraints along with any sense of decorum, maturity or, come to think of it, sanity.

Megumi and Kaoru continued to catcall and throw rolled-up socks at Misao while they laughed uproariously at her seductive antics but as Misao swiveled expertly and gave her hips an extra shake in front of the two, she saw their amused expressions quickly turn to horror as hands flew to their mouths. Misao quickly whipped around and to her humiliation and alarm, came face-to-face with Aoshi who was standing in the door frame, a stupefied expression of utter shock written across his face. Most unfortunately, the song's vocalist was currently blaring out the most apropos line of "when she's screaming and when she's lustful" through the speakers as Aoshi's gaze enveloped Misao's nearly nude frame.

Aoshi's feet were rooted to the spot and no force on earth was currently capable of tearing his eyes away from Misao's lithe, feminine form writhing in full display in front of him and clad only in a hot pink bra trimmed with black lace and matching panties that scooped temptingly over her cheeks, partially exposing the lush roundness of her derriere. Misao's blue eyes were as wide as portholes as she turned around and realized he was staring at her open-mouthed. She gaped back at him, a furious blush filling her face like wine pouring into a glass. For a long moment, neither party moved or said anything, then Misao squawked loudly and dove for the bed, landing between Megumi and Kaoru and scrabbling frantically for the covers to pull over her nearly naked body.

"AOSHI!" Megumi and Kaoru screamed, springing up adroitly in defense of their friend and charging the tall man, pillows clenched in their fists. Aoshi quickly stepped back and pulled the door closed, keeping his hand on the doorknob as a flurry of blows attacked the door. At a loss for what to do next, Aoshi simply kept the door shut and waited for the chaos to die down; to his relief, within a few seconds, the volley of attacks dissolved into a gigantic fit of giggles and feminine yelps of merriment. Someone turned the music down, but that only emphasized the shrieks of mirth sounding from the other side of the door.

Aoshi finally broke in hesitantly, "Er, Kaoru, I just wanted to tell you that your left back tire is almost flat. Make sure to fill it up today."

"Ohhh...okay, Aoshi!" Kaoru called out breathlessly, ending her statement with another heartfelt laugh. Aoshi paused a moment.

"Em, Megumi, I'm going to lie down for awhile if...if you need me for anything."

"Sure, big brother!" Megumi snorted, barely getting the words out though her giggles.

Aoshi cleared his throat and waited a very long moment. "Misao, I..." Something solid hit the door, a shoe he thought, and he stepped back a pace. "I'm sorry. I really am," he said, but the other two were shrieking so loudly he didn't know if the object of his apology had heard him. Not really sure if there was anyway he could repair the damage aside from merely pretending nothing had happened, Aoshi backed away from the door and went to his room.

Lying down on the bed fully dressed, Aoshi closed his eyes, putting one arm across his forehead. After several weeks of non-stop work and a Monday morning that had started with a headache, he had decided that afternoon to go home early. Fatigue both mental and physical were dragging him down and affecting his efforts at the firm, and he knew he was essentially useless around the office at this point. When he pulled in the driveway, he had seen Kaoru's car and noticed the almost-flat tire, something Kaoru needed to remedy before it became an actual flat. The noise pouring from Megumi's room had been a good indication where the women were located, and the giggles and calls had made him approach the room with trepidation. However, nothing had prepared him for the sight of Misao, a vision in her fancy intimates, flowing and gliding seductively around the room in a way that made his brain glaze over and his jaw collapse to his ankles. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to push the image aside. It had been bad enough several days ago when Misao had chattered cheerfully to him about all the purchases she had brought home from Victoria's Secret but to see them so brazenly displayed in front of his astonished eyes was, well...

_She's your client, Shinomori. Focus on the case and keep your mind out of the gutter, _he ordered himself firmly. Luckily exhaustion was demanding priority over fantasy, and sleep quickly claimed him.

* * *

><p>"Come on, Misao, out from under the covers," Kaoru ordered, tugging on the blankets.<p>

Misao, buried somewhere inside the bowels of Megumi's bed, clung to the comforter with unyielding hands, refusing to let go. "No," she said.

"_Come on_," Kaoru coaxed. "Look, I know you're embarrassed out of your mind, but it could have been worse. Hey, at least you were wearing your cutest underwear," Kaoru pointed out practically.

A wail overlaid with a groan of agony sounded from the depths of the bed as the knot that was Misao curled even tighter into itself. Despite her brief spate of rebellion, Misao's carnal experiences had been limited to a few awkward make-out sessions with an unkempt teenage boy whose name she had long since forgotten. No male had seen her in her underwear since Gramps had accidentally walked in on a thirteen year old Misao dancing around her bedroom in a t-shirt and panties singing, "Baby One More Time." Although Misao was beginning to cherish hope that there would eventually be a day where she had reason and opportunity to display her vast collection of Victoria's Secret goodies to Aoshi's approving eyes, this was decidedly not how she had pictured that first incident panning out, and she shivered all over in embarrassed remembrance.

Sighing, Kaoru flopped down next to Misao and rested her chin on her friend's turned-up shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, you probably made Aoshi's day, if not his entire month."

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!" Misao burst up from the bed's innards, ripping back covers and sheets as she fought her way to the surface to flail at Kaoru wildly with a pillow. As quick as a flash, Kaoru grabbed another one and fought back as she yanked all the covers free, leaving Misao with nowhere to hide.

"Come on, girl, get dressed," Kaoru said, tossing her weapon at Misao after a few well-placed smacks. "This will all be hilarious eventually, believe me."

"Just promise me one thing," Misao groaned. "If by some miracle and far-reaching stretch of the imagination Aoshi and I somehow get married, _don't_ mention this during your speech at the wedding. I can and will kill you about six dozen ways and believe me, I know how."

Kaoru smiled in a way that made Misao realize uncomfortably that she had just handed her friend an extremely big bargaining tool to hang over her head. "Don't worry," Kaoru said wickedly, "I promise my speech will be _very_ memorable."

"Great. I'm just going to curl up and expire quietly right now," Misao crawled off the bed and slid back into her clothes as Megumi reappeared in the room with glasses of iced tea. Misao took one, trying to calm the furious blush in her cheeks.

"You know what, ladies? I think this calls for Red Mango," Megumi announced. "Drink up and let's go. I'm buying!"

_Anything to get out of this house, _Misao thought desperately, then groaned again in realization that she couldn't hide from Aoshi forever. _Maybe I'll just forfeit the lawsuit and pretend this little event never happened,_ she pondered. _Or just keel over dead. Yeah, that sounds like the best option right now. _

Instead, Misao choked the tea down and followed the other two downstairs to Megumi's car, hoping desperately that a big bowl of hazelnut and chocolate frozen yogurt topped with berries and more chocolate would sooth away some of the embarrassment of the day. Either that or she would be suddenly hit by a stray meteor or wake up and find out that the entire day was actually a very bad nightmare or that Aoshi would suffer temporary amnesia from the shock of seeing Misao in her undies and repress the memory.

_Fat chance of that. I am so gonna die the next time I have to see him, _Misao groaned to herself. _This calls for a really, really big bowl of frozen yogurt. _

**Author's note: I've taken a pole dancing class and it is actually very fun and quite challenging. Belly dancing is fun too! And Abney Park's "She" is incredible – look it up on YouTube. **


	10. Victories and Villians

**Author's note: in a comment on the last chapter, t42n24t2 asked "Now, how undisturbed were Aoshi's dreams?" after he had witnessed the stripper/belly dance routine. My response is, "If Aoshi's dreams are as weird as mine, his involved a T-Rex wearing Misao's bra and panties chasing him through an amusement park while Aoshi was juggling live frogs." Luckily Aoshi is not me and thus had normal dreams that night. **

For nearly a week, Misao heard nothing from Aoshi which both relieved and worried her. She was still deeply mortified by the event and every time memory of her improv burlesque show flashed in her mind (which was once about every hour), her entire body cringed and she felt the overwhelming urge to drown herself in a huge vat of melted chocolate. Luckily the semester was roaring to a close and graduation was weeks as opposed to months away, so Misao had copious demands to occupy her time and keep her from agonizing too long.

Yet the lawsuit had not disappeared and several days after her last and most humiliating encounter with Aoshi, Misao picked up her cellphone to see that her lawyer was calling her. A brief flutter of happiness was instantly squashed by a heartfelt groan as Misao resolutely clicked the "talk" button and steeled herself up for the conversation.

"Hello, Misao, how are you?" Aoshi's calm voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Oh, crazy busy with grad school as usual," Misao responded brightly, mentally adding _and I've dreamed up at least fifty different humiliating scenarios that I would have gladly undergone if it meant that last week never happened. Please don't mention it, please, please, please tell me you suppressed the memory or temporarily went blind or something. _

To her deep relief, Aoshi merely responded, "I imagine. Graduation is just a few weeks away so you must be very busy and stressed. Therefore," his voice became business-like, "We need to win this lawsuit so that there is one less burden for you to worry about. The last hearing is next Wednesday and here is what you need to prepare for." Misao felt relief wash over her as Aoshi tactfully made no mention of the unfortunate incident in Megumi's bedroom and the conversation stayed on legal pathways.

As Misao pushed her way through the crowded sidewalks of Williamson University, she and Aoshi discussed issues for the next hearing. The final presentation of both sides would take place that day, then the jury would deliberate and hopefully render their decision. Misao knew that she had a strong case, but the thought of losing made her stomach churn and anger fill her vision.

Aoshi, however, soothed her. "I know you are anxious about this next hearing, Misao, but I strongly believe the jury will vote in our favor. You have a good case and the trial has gone well so far."

"But what happens if we lose?" Misao said worriedly.

"Then we appeal," Aoshi responded calmly. "However, I do not believe we will. Also, I do not believe that Williamson will appeal if the judge rules in our favor. The college is swiftly losing the support of many of its alumni and its reputation in the community is falling. Please do not be worried Misao, just focus on finishing your semester."

"I'm trying not to worry," Misao sighed, then smiled in gratefulness. "I couldn't have done this without you, Aoshi. I would have gone completely nuts by myself. It's been so wonderful to let you handle this and not worry about it, knowing I'm in good hands."

"I am most thankful that I could be of assistance to you," Aoshi said with uncharacteristic warmth. "With all the struggles you have undergone lately, I am happy to have helped relieve one for you."

"Well, thanks again, I really mean it," Misao said softly and a poignant pause settled over them, which she finally had to break. "Aoshi, I'm really sorry but I've got about thirty seconds to get to class. I gotta run."

"Of course," Aoshi responded. "I will call you later if I have further information."

"Okay, bye now!" Misao chirped and scooted into the classroom just as the professor began his lecture.

* * *

><p>"Ms. Makimachi, Ms. Makimachi! How does it feel to win your trial?" The strident blonde reporter who had badgered Misao last month was currently talking loudly over the questions of several other reporters as cameras clicked and tape recorders whizzed. Misao was standing in a happy daze at the bottom of the courthouse steps, bathed in elation and unable to stop her brain from screaming <em>we won, we won, we won! <em>

Aoshi stood at her side, a pleased but dignified expression on his face. As before, he placed himself between Misao and the media personnel but on this occasion, he faced the cameras and gave a statement.

"Both Ms. Makimachi and myself are quite pleased with the judge's ruling. Justice has been served and Ms. Makimachi's invention will soon be helping better the lives of disadvantaged people in developing countries," the lawyer stated.

"Ms. Makimachi, what do you plan to do with the prize money?" another reporter demanded.

"Not buy ramen with it," Misao laughed. "As a starving grad student, I think I've eaten enough ramen noodles for the rest of my life!"

"Ms. Makimachi, when will you take your trip to Niger to build your purifiers?" a third voice called out.

"My client will be traveling during this summer," Aoshi responded. "She is quite excited about her trip and is looking forward to assisting deserving people in Niger." Placing a hand on Misao's arm, Aoshi held the other one up to the media people. "Thank you, no further questions please," he stated as he deftly steered Misao away from the barrage of questions. Apparently satisfied with the responses they had gotten, the reporters and their entourage did not pursue the two and Aoshi and Misao were allowed to walk away unaccompanied.

As soon as Misao and Aoshi were out of sight of the media, Misao stopped and suddenly leaped into the air, "Yippee!" she cried out, twirling in a circle. "We won! We won! We won!"

Aoshi watched in amusement as Misao capered and danced around in a flurry of thrilled elation, punching the air and squealing in delight. Jumping up on a raised concrete step that ran along the walkway, Misao galloped the length of it and back, celebrating madly, then abruptly raced up to Aoshi, threw her arms around him, and kissed him full on the mouth.

Aoshi froze in astonished surprise. The structure Misao was standing on elevated her so that her lips was almost level with his and with her newly found height, it was quite easy for her to wrap her arms around his neck and go in for the kill. But as his stupefied mind weighed the evidence and came to the conclusion that yes indeed, Misao was kissing him and as his body stirred to life and began to demand that he contribute more liberally to the proceedings, Misao pulled away and resumed her capering, leaving her lawyer behind to blink erratically and try to remember where he had last seen his brain.

Misao turned towards Aoshi, her eyes flashing, "That was _great_, Aoshi! Thank you so much!"

"And I thank you," Aoshi responded, a trifle muddle-headed. It had been quite awhile since he had last been on the receiving end of a proffered pair of soft, delectable lips and he could not precisely recall if he had ever been the target of a stealth kiss before. However, his body was arguing that the brief lip-lock Misao had pounced upon him with would not stand up in a court of law as a proper kiss and that clearly they needed a second trial so that he could do the job properly.

Misao's eyes were a trifle dreamy as she looked at Aoshi. "That was really wonderful and so kind of you," she said softly.

Aoshi's heart did a funny thump as Misao looked at him in adoration. "I was glad to," Aoshi said in return, smiling. He only wished that they had been in a setting that better supported a long kissing scene, not standing on a crowded sidewalk with honking cars passing by and filling the air with exhaust fumes.

"I couldn't have done it without you. Not in a million years," Misao continued. Aoshi's brow twisted in confusion but Misao didn't seem to notice. "That lawsuit would have eaten me alive, but you came galloping in to save the day. I really owe you big, you know."

With a rather crushing sense of disappointment, Aoshi realized that they were talking about vastly different topics. Nevertheless, he stepped over the misunderstanding and slipped firmly back into the role of lawyer. "Please do not think of it as owing me anything, Misao. I am just grateful that the case was won so quickly and decidedly." Smiling gently at her, Aoshi said, "It must be a great relief to have that worry finally over."

"You have no idea!" Misao squealed as she fell in place besides him and the two moved towards Aoshi's car. "Five thousand dollars! It sounds like a ton of money but in all reality, it's about enough for a downpayment on a decent car. But still!" Misao skipped happily besides Aoshi, "I'm just glad that we won and I have the rights to my invention. When I was interviewing for ConAgra, I told them that I might have a chance to go to Niger for a week this summer to help with a humanitarian project. They were very supportive and told me they would work around it. In fact, I was planning on starting ConAgra the first of June to give myself a few weeks to recover from all the stress. I could go to Niger the end of May and then that wouldn't interrupt my new job."

"That is probably a wise idea," Aoshi nodded. Briefly he toyed with the idea of trying to convince Misao that she needed proper legal council during her trip and that it would be best if he accompanied her in case further intellectual property issues cropped up._ I did say that I needed a vacation, _he thought to himself and while toiling under a hot sun building water purifiers in Africa was a far cry from the white sand beaches and reggae music he had envisioned, helping Misao improve the lives of people in a developed country had a certain appealing ring to it. _Plus, it is possible I could use the trip to the advantage of Sullivan & Smith and thus put it on my expense account_, he thought with a slight smirk.

Keeping these ideas to himself, Aoshi turned his attention to Misao who was still riding high on elation. With a little difficulty, he managed to shoo her into his car and drive her back to campus as she chattered and stared dreamily out the window the entire time. At the front of the library, Aoshi stopped the car but frowned slightly and placed a hand on Misao's shoulder, preventing her from exiting the car.

"Misao, do be on the alert. Considering the behaviors of different university officials during this case, I would not put it past them to try to sabotage your degree and prevent you from graduating. If you have even the remotest suspicion that someone here is trying to interfere with your studies, call me right away."

"I will. Thanks again!" Misao chirped out, then paused as she was getting out of the car. "I guess I'll see you next at the rehearsal dinner. Bye!" With that, Misao slid out of the car and went trotting down the sidewalk towards the library.

Aoshi suddenly realized that unless Williamson decided to appeal, he likely was finished being Misao's lawyer once all the final paperwork was signed and last minute issues squared away, which meant that once the wedding was over, he would little excuse to communicate with her. _Well, we shall have to make some excuses_, he thought to himself and turned the car away from the university, pleased to report his recent victory to the firm.

As Aoshi suspected, Williamson quietly accepted the verdict passed down on them and made no motion to appeal. Within two weeks, Misao called him excitedly to report that she had received a check for the prize money and was eying the last week of May as a possible date for her trip. Aoshi was still mentally constructing an excuse to accompany her but was not quite sure how to approach the topic nor, for that matter, if her grandfather would be exactly keen about Aoshi escorting Misao on her journey. Remembering the older man's proud, watchful expression, Aoshi surmised that Okina would be less than pleased about the news._ Clearly this will take further thought and planning,_ Aoshi concluded.

Unfortunately he had little time for either: as a reward for winning Misao's case, Sullivan & Smith had happily dumped several new cases on Aoshi and the last few weeks of the wedding was approaching at an alarming rate, throwing Megumi into a frenzy. Phone calls from their mother anxiously inquiring about specific issues or voicing commands buzzed in several times a day to both of their phones. Tsunan was making elaborate plans for a rocking bachelor party, and Aoshi had been charged by both Megumi and their mother to ensure that Sano was alert, unimprisoned, and sober for the wedding on pain of dismemberment. On top of wedding plans, Megumi was beginning to move some of her things to Sano's house and Aoshi was constantly tripping over boxes and piles of objects every time he came home. Work stress followed him home and compounded the home stress, and Aoshi found himself waiting impatiently for the wedding to be over.

The wedding countdown had hit two weeks when Aoshi drove home wearily one evening to find Shura's Lexus sitting in the driveway, blocking his side of the garage. Aoshi cursed quietly under his breath and groaned at the thought of facing her again, already formulating excuses to disappear into the basement once he got inside the house. Parking on Megumi's side, Aoshi opened the garage door and walked quietly into the house, hoping to avoid bumping into Shura.

"Hi brother," Megumi said as she crossed the kitchen floor towards him, a tired frown wrinkling her normally smooth brow. She wore a crisp lab coat over her tailored slacks and silver blouse, her ever-present high heels clicking on the tile. "Shura came over to help me with some wedding favors and we ordered Chinese, but Shura seems to have a mild case of food poisoning. She's been in the bathroom for the past hour."

"Yes, I have been, haven't I?" a faint voice wafted into the kitchen as the woman in question walked slowly into the room. Shura's normally animated face was rather wan-looking and she was a tad disheveled, her designer dress bearing a few wrinkles and her hair and makeup slightly less than immaculate. "So sorry, darling Aoshi, but I'm going to have to impose on you for the night. I...I don't want to be too far away from a bathroom." A spasm of pain crossed her face as she said. "I'll just toddle up to Megumi's room and be out of your hair. Thanks, love." Shura turned and moved towards the stairs, Aoshi noting that despite her illness, she was still wearing ridiculously high stilettos and managing to to twitch her hips suggestively. Come to think of it, he had never seen Shura with anything less than three inch heels.

"She'll be alright, it was probably just a bad batch of brocoli chicken," Megumi said. "I called the restaurant and notified them of the issue. Shura just needs to stay hydrated and let it pass out of her system; that is about the only thing to be done. I gave her 16 ounces of Lytren and there is also Gatorade in the fridge. If she keeps drinking it, she should be fine by tomorrow." Looking at her brother with soft eyes, Megumi said, "Aoshi, I know you are not exactly fond of Shura, but I need you to keep an eye on her tonight because I have a 12 hour shift. She will probably stay in the bathroom and my room and won't bother you. Just call me if she feels worse, okay? Please?"

Aoshi sighed. Despite his dislike of Megumi's friend, he could not help but feel a little sorry for Shura. She looked ill and he was not about to turn a sick woman out of his house. "I will make sure she is all right," he promised reluctantly. He would simply have to put up with her presence and be thankful that after the wedding, there would be little reason for him to be around her.

"Thanks, 'Shi," Megumi patted him fondly on the arm as she moved towards the garage. Aoshi walked out with her and moved his car away, parking in Megumi's spot after she pulled out of the driveway and left for work. Inside, Aoshi took two bottles of Gatorade out of the fridge and headed resolutely towards Megumi's room to bring grudging comfort to the patient.

"Shura, I just put two bottles of Gatorade outside the door," Aoshi announced through the door as he set the bottles on the floor and turned to head towards his room. Shura's voice stopped him.

"Thank you darling. Could I impose upon you even more and have you bring them to me? I'm afraid I'm a tad shaky right now."

Aoshi sighed and opened the door. Inside Megumi's room, the nightstand light was on and Shura was draped elegantly across the bed dressed in a silky negligee and matching robe which was loose enough around her frame to artfully display her curves. Aoshi tried not to look at her as he put the bottles on the nightstand. "Here you are. I hope you feel better," he said shortly and turned to leave.

"Thank you, darling," Shura said. Her voice was quiet but still had a purr to it. Aoshi ignored her and stalked out the door, trying not to roll his eyes as he left. _You are suffering from food poisoning yet you still insist on flirting and trying to seduce every male that wanders across your path, _he thought crossly._ Seriously, Shura, that is rather pathetic. _

Luckily, Shura left Aoshi alone the remainder of the evening, only leaving her room to visit the bathroom on occasion. He spent almost two hours in the dojo basement trying to catch up on some missed practice sessions and avoid his "guest" should she recover quickly enough to start wandering the halls looking for him. When he had sweated enough in the basement, Aoshi turned his attention to the garbage disposal which had been malfunctioning lately. After tearing it apart and cleaning out some clogged tubes, he had it running smoothly again. Smelling of perspiration and rotting gunk from the inside of the garbage disposal, Aoshi stepped into the shower, thankful that his room had the master bathroom and was thus theoretically free from Shura's path, and spent several long minutes scrubbing grease out from his fingernails.

Back in his room, Aoshi opened his laptop, thinking longingly of how much he was looking forward to taking his home office back once Megumi finished moving out: currently it was overflowing with tulle, ribbons, boxes, plastic bags crammed with mystery items, and other unknown items. _Two more weeks_, he thought to himself with a sigh.

* * *

><p>"Dum dum, dum, and another one bites the dust!" Misao sang off-key as her car clonked its way down the street. Feeling elation rising up through her exhaustion, Misao shook her head and tried to fight off the tiredness of yet another all-nighter in the library. After begging for an extension, she had been given until 7:00 am Saturday morning to turn in a paper in the hardest of her graduate classes. A long night in the library had resulted in a paper that, to Misao, seemed brilliant and awesome, but she vividly recalled what her freshman composition teacher had cautioned the class years ago, "Every paper looks brilliant at 2:00 a.m, the day it is due." Nevertheless, it was done and submitted via digital drop box, and Misao was cruising away from campus relieved that there was one less thing on her to-do list. As graduation approached, that list was becoming slightly smaller by the day and Misao was beginning to smell victory.<p>

"Well, I got the lawsuit won and Megumi's getting married in two weeks and then graduation!" Misao announced to herself. "Hang in there, Makimachi!" The thought of the lawsuit brought Aoshi to mind and Misao's face broke into a huge grin as she did a little wriggly dance in her seat. Come to think of it, as of lately, Aoshi was never too far from her mind, his handsome face always on the edge of her subconscious no matter what she was doing with the forefront of her brain. The thought of Aoshi made Misao want to hug the world in gratitude and happiness and as she directed the car down the street, a sign caught her eye and an idea captured her attention.

Pulling into the crowded parking lot of Wheatfields, Misao eagerly scurried inside for a half a dozen of Wheatfield's famous "lobster tails" - buttery croissants heavily encrusted with caramel and pecans. Since it was only 7:25 a.m., there was a fresh batch of them just coming out of the oven and Misao was soon on her way with a warm bakery box breathing out the heavenly scent of the pastries. It was not far to Aoshi's house and Misao directed her car that way; she knew Aoshi worked most weekends, but she figured it was early enough in the day to catch him at home and maybe Megumi too. If not, she would swing by Sullivan & Smith with a breakfast delivery.

Misao was so intent on her surprise for Aoshi and significantly sleep-deprived enough that she barely registered the other car in the driveway as she skipped up the walkway and rang the doorbell briskly. Holding the slightly drippy box in her hand, Misao hummed to herself a little bit and thought longingly of the espresso machine in Aoshi's kitchen – barring an unoccupied house, she would soon be getting her hands on a triple shot latte to chase away the sleepless night.

To Misao's profound confusion and shock, Shura opened the door with a sleepy yawn. "Oh, hi, Misao, darling," Shura said, stretching slightly and patting her mouth gently. Blinking in disbelief, Misao stared at the other woman dumbly. Shura, elegantly attired in a champagne colored negligee and loosely tied robe, stood on the doorstep, her auburn hair alluringly disheveled and her slightly smudged makeup giving her movie-worthy bedroom eyes.

"Um, hi, Shura," Misao responded back, feeling rank bewilderment, shock, and the warning pangs of alarm creep up in her. After a second or two of blinking, she said, "Is...is Megumi up?"

Shura yawned daintily again. "No, Megumi was scheduled to work a night shift and she's not home yet," she responded.

Misao blinked again as the gravity of what Shura was saying hit her and ice began creeping up in her veins. "Did you want something?" Shura said in a voice that was sweet but pointed.

"Umm, I was just going to bring these to Megumi and Aoshi," Misao said numbly, indicating the box in her hands.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you," Shura said with fake sincerity. "Aoshi's in the shower right now, but I know he'd be happy you thought of him and Megumi. But I'm in the middle of making breakfast for the two of us, so why don't you eat them, love?" The saccharine in her voice was cloying and the knowing little smile on her face cut through Misao like a knife.

"In fact," Shura continued, "I've got to run, darling, muffins are in the oven. Ta ta!" Shura gave a little flutter of her fingers and shut the door in Misao's face, leaving her standing on the porch with a now cold box of pastries and a tumultuous minefield of confusion and growing pain warring in her heart.

* * *

><p>Coming down the stairs, Aoshi smelled coffee and something warm and sugary and he frowned in puzzlement. <em>Megumi doesn't usually cook in the morning,<em> he thought to himself but as he entered the kitchen, he saw a neatly set table for two, covered food containers, and Shura at the oven, the hem of her silky robe barely covering the essentials and showcasing all of her shapely legs as she bent over to take out a tray of fresh muffins.

"Well, good morning, handsome!" Shura purred cheerfully. "You were so kind to let a sick woman invade your house last night that I just had to make you breakfast. Come, sit yourself down and eat."

Aoshi stopped as if he had run into a brick wall and eyed the table warily, his mind desperately kicking out a list of potential excuses when the hum of the garage door signaled his rescue.

"Shura, thank you very much for all the trouble you went through. Unfortunately, I have a breakfast meeting with a client that I must leave right now to attend. However, Megumi is just coming in and I know she will be most grateful for a hot breakfast. It was quite kind of you, and I am glad you are feeling better." Aoshi was not being exactly dishonest – his breakfast appointment was with Kenshin, but the red-head wasn't currently aware of it yet. Aoshi had decided on the spot that he and Kenshin both needed to discuss Aoshi's latest brief for the engineering firm over breakfast as soon as possible, and preferably on the other side of town. Anywhere to get out of the house.

Aoshi ignored the swift burst of disappointment and anger that flashed across Shura's face just as Megumi walked into the kitchen, but it was instantly replaced with a wide smile as she fluttered towards her friend saying, "Darling heart, you must be starved! Sit down and eat!"

Most fortunately, Aoshi's phone rang and looking down, he saw it was the office. Gladly abandoned the pair in the kitchen, Aoshi stepped into the garage and opened the door to the Saab, his mind already churning with the day's duties.

* * *

><p>The Ford Taurus moved gingerly through the elegant streets, passing luxury cars and SUVs whose drivers looked disdainfully at the rusty, exhaust-spewing contraption polluting their neighborhood, but Misao registered nothing. In shock and confusion, she numbly directed the car forward with no clear direction, focused only on not absentmindedly ramming her car into something heavy. After an undetermined measure of time, Misao found herself pulling into the nearly empty parking lot of a small playground. Stopping her car under a shady tree, Misao killed the engine and sat for a moment, then rested her head on the steering wheel.<p>

For a long moment, she sat quietly, then exploded into a colorful reel of expletives directed at Shura, Aoshi, men in general, and the universe as a whole, employing time-honored swear words that she had learned during her brief period of reckless rebellion. When her stock of curses had run dry, anger gave way to tears as salty wetness coursed down her cheeks which Misao angrily wiped them away and struggled to gain control of her emotions. Scrubbing at her face, Misao tried to think clearly through her fog of emotions.

As she sorted painfully through the confusing episode, Misao tried to figure out what the hell had just happened and what precisely Aoshi and Shura had been up to the previous night, but all evidence pointed to the obvious. She was frankly astonished that Aoshi had ended up with Shura because he had never shown any visible interest in her, but Aoshi was not one who was free with expressing his emotions and Shura was a remarkably persuasive not to mention gorgeous woman who possibly could have finagled him into a relationship. However, it was also entirely possible that what had happened between the two was nothing more than a casual encounter between two consenting adults. So the truth was, either Aoshi had let himself be talked into a relationship with someone like Shura or he engaged in a no-strings-attached intimate encounter, neither possibility which spoke well of his character. Aoshi had always seemed so upright and honorable that Misao was completely flabbergasted to see evidence to the contrary parading in front of her in silk delicates and smiling smugly.

_I guess I misjudged him. Badly,_ Misao thought as anger and a deep sense of betrayal cut through her like broken glass. Just when she had begun to feel real hope that Aoshi was interested in her and the chance of things become serious was blossoming, now this. _He mislead me, the bastard, _she raged internally, cursing Aoshi fluently as she banged her clenched fist against the steering wheel.

The tears started up again as Misao reached for her phone, hoping desperately that Kaoru was home and had a willing shoulder for her crying friend. But as Misao picked her phone up, her hand froze. _No_. She closed her eyes. If she went to Kaoru and told her everything, Kaoru would be furious with both Aoshi and Shura and would likely tell Kenshin and Sano who would also be angry with the pair which meant that Tae and Tsunan would hear about it too and Megumi's big day would be tainted by reality show level drama and hurt feelings.

_No_. Misao put the phone back down and clenched her fists so tightly that her nails cut into her palms. Better to tough it out for two weeks, smile, pretend, and do everything she could do ensure that Megumi's wedding day was happy and drama-free. Misao could survive two weeks of anguish. She'd have to face Aoshi at the rehearsal dinner and wedding and her stomach clenched at the thought of that but once the wedding was over, she had no reason to ever see him again. She could make it two weeks. If she broke down in tears or burst into a spasm of swearing, she could chalk it up to graduation stress. At this point, she was barely functional anyway and no one would be surprised by raw displays of emotion emanating from her. She wouldn't even tell Gramps what happened until the wedding was over.

_Two weeks. You can survive two weeks, Makimachi. Suck it up and deal with it, _Misao ordered herself fiercely, then resolutely turned the car back on and headed home.

**Author's note – I taught writing for years to college students and the words Misao's composition teacher told her were mine. And with this chapter, my darlings, I leave you to go on vacation and abandon my writing duties. You will not get an update for a while, so there. Pfffppt. **


	11. Baccalaureates and Bachelorettes

**Author's note: Vacation plus car problems plus work stress do not ample writing time make. Sorry it took so long – here's a chapter! Heads up – this has more cursing than previous chapters. It is not, alas, the most cheerful of chapters but I promise the story ends on a very happy note! **

For Misao, the next few days were a frenzied blur of work sessions occasionally punctured by heartfelt crying sessions heavily seasoned with creative cursing and pillow punching. Only by extreme force of will and determination did she manage to immerse herself in the last few frantic weeks of school, resolute on finishing her degree on a strong note and intent on not letting Aoshi's foolhardy entanglement with Shura get in the way of her GPA. Only rarely did Misao permit herself to temporarily abandon her focus and let loose the anger, bewilderment, and heartache warring in her chest, freeing the tears that were clamoring to be let loose; when her eyes had cried themselves dry, she would wipe her face and reach for the computer again. However, as much as she tried to put the wretched event behind her and battle valiantly forward, the combination of stress, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and an aching heart full of unanswered questions dogged her steps and hindered her efforts. Try as she might, Misao could feel her performance at school inch slowly downward and her brain steadily accumulate a thick layer of exhausted sludge that weighed her down mentally and physically so that she moved like she was hiking through two solid feet of cold pancake syrup and her brain increasingly had trouble dealing with even the most routine of tasks. Once she spent a puzzling moment staring at the dashboard of her car and trying to remember where to insert her key, and several times she absentmindedly put a stack of dirty dishes in the fridge, leaving them behind as an unintended surprise for Okina.

Misao took a small comfort in the fact that her fellow classmates who were graduating with her were similarly exhausted and stressed and there was always someone around to bitch with when the tension became too much. During her recent lawsuit, Misao had found support among other chemical engineering students, particularly the three other females in the department, and she was thankful for their encouragement. Regan had stood by her side during the entire trial and was more than happy to join Misao in trash-talking Professor Garrin and contemplating ditching the entire program and running away to open a bookstore/martial arts dojo in a little town somewhere, an idea that steadily grew more attractive as graduation approached.

After a few days of suffering, Misao had finally spilled the entire story to Regan, right down to the skimpy negligee Shura had been sporting and the smug, knowing smile playing across her lips. Only because Regan had absolutely no connection with anyone in the wedding did Misao finally tell her, knowing that there was no reasonable way things would get back to the guilty party and cause Megumi unneeded drama. Regan had been admirably incised, fluently cussing out Aoshi and Shura and immediately plotting an elaborate revenge.

"A syringe full of skunk oil injected inside the chair cushions of that oh-so-nice car of his," Regan scribbled something down on a notebook. "And some on the driver's seat for good measure so when the bastard sits in it, he'll get it on his skin and reek for days."

Misao giggled shakily, wiping tears away. "That's not a bad idea."

"Then we sneak inside his house and put some more skunk oil inside his curtain rods. Trust me, he'll tear the house apart looking for the source of the smell and never be able to find it." Regan was sketching something that looked like an elaborate football plan on the notebook and adding threatening skulls and crossbones to the perimeter. "Then we get the bitch. I suggest Nair in her shampoo bottle." The pen scored a deep, angry line across the center as an evil chuckle shook loose from Regan's mouth.

"That means breaking and entering for all three of those ideas, plus property damage and personal injury," Misao sighed. Hanging around with a lawyer had given her a more informed picture of the legal and criminal sectors, but she had absolutely no interest right now in thanking Aoshi for the new knowledge. "Thanks, but I don't think I want to risk getting arrested. If I have to face a court case again, I'm gonna shoot myself," she added tiredly.

Misao stretched her legs out on the floor and winced as her muscles loudly reminded her how long she had been sitting there. Over the past few months, she had watched in mild alarm as her muscle tone began disappearing and a little bit of pudge start accumulating on her stomach and thighs. With all the duties and worries she had undergone, exercise had come to mean dashing frantically to class and a balanced diet was now one where she ate a different flavor of ramen noodle than she had scarfed down the previous day. Remembering Shura's perfect, sculpted body without an ounce of excess fat, Misao pounded at her thighs sourly and angrily reached for a slab of dark chocolate.

The two women were buried in a corner of the lab, ignoring the movements of pale, worried-looking young men who hadn't bathed in days as they shuffled through the lab, intent on various experiments, and lost in a fog of cerebral concerns. A pile of chocolate wrappers, soda bottles, and chip bags sat between the two women as they rested with their backs against the wall, pointedly avoiding the other students. Regan ripped open a bag of potato chips with her teeth, her anger at Misao's story spilling out on the helpless snack container as she tore it apart and stuffed its contents into her mouth.

"I absolutely cannot believe that bastard," she growled, eyes dark with anger and her words slightly masked by the crunch of ranch-flavored potato chips meeting their doom. "He seemed like such a caring, upright guy. What an absolute dick."

Despite herself, Misao had cried some while telling Regan her tale and while she was still a little shaky, she felt marginally better having finally unburdened her heart to a kind ear. Both women currently were ignoring the mounds of work demanding their attention, and Misao was extremely grateful that Regan showed absolutely no sign of wanting to get back to her duties and was clearly attentive to Misao's problems.

Leaning her head back, Misao groaned, "I don't know how I'm gonna get through this stupid wedding. What a nightmare."

"You get yourself totally gorgeous and go have a fabulous time," Regan responded, a chip crumb dangling on her lower lip. "Flirt with the handsomest man you can find, dance with all the guys, and make that douchebag sorry he ever let you go. Then go find some rich, gorgeous guy and start dating him. Preferably someone Aoshi knows. Besides," Regan tossed the empty bag aside. "Ten to one the bitch will dump him when she finds someone richer and serves him right. Or," Regan's eyes flashed wickedly, "maybe she'll get knocked up and screw him royally for child support payments."

Pain slammed into Misao's gut at the thought of Shura carrying Aoshi's child. She'd use it as bait to trap him, ensnaring Aoshi to her side as firmly and inescapably as a trap snare. Regan saw the expression on her friend's face and hastened to amend the last statement. "Nah, he seems too responsible to end up with a baby momma. Odds are, he'll realize she's a gold-digger and dump her in a few weeks. Then he'll come begging you on his hands and knees to take him back and you'll have the pleasure of telling him to go to hell. Just hang in there girl," Regan rubbed Misao's arm and looked at her kindly. "This totally blows right now and it sucks that you keep getting all this crap dumped on you. But in a few weeks you'll be outta this hellhole and start a fabulous job. Eventually things _will_ get better, I promise."

Misao wiped away fresh tears and tried to galvanize her spirits. But she felt complete exhaustion in every fiber of her being and her normally optimistic outlook was failing her more and more these days. Misao had a strong personality and had always been able to scrabble determedly over life's problems and claw her way towards happiness. However, the events of the past few months were wrecking havoc on her normally 'half-full' attitude. People kept telling her better days were just around the corner, but all Misao was beginning to feel like a shipwreck victim stumbling through a desert towards a distant oasis, tripping over scorpions and slogging through quicksand, only to find the pools of water dancing tantalizingly ahead of her were actually mirages hovering over a snakepit.

The week limped past, days sloshed together in a lumpy goop of existence as Misao grimly plodded forward, wearily fighting off the constant urge to dissolve into tears, scream, punch something, or dance merrily off into the sunset singing to magic invisible unicorns and dancing with live psychedelic pop tarts. To her extreme fury, Aoshi called her twice during the week; she violently ignored the phone and deleted both messages without listening to them, then angrily threw herself back into her work while firmly ordering herself to forget about him. Somehow duties got done and she kept moving forward towards the close of the semester, practically living on campus and forgoing most of the essentials such as sleep, showers, and any semblance of a personal life in order to finish everything. It didn't help that the upcoming wedding was going to take up most of two invaluable weekends and when her phone buzzed frantically the afternoon of Megumi's bachelorette party, Misao picked it up with a groan, feeling premonition clanging in alarm. _Not something more to do for the wedding,_ she thought desperately.

_Dammit, I hate it when I'm right, _Misao sighed to herself as she listened to Megumi's slightly hysterical voice pouring out from the other end of the receiver. "Misao, sweetie, I know you are unbelievably busy right now but can you please, please, please come over to the house about six today? I really, really, really need you and Kaoru's help on some things. Aoshi's going to be gone all evening with the guys, and I am so behind in a lot of last-minute preparation that I am going out of my mind with worry. Please? I promise I will buy you everything you want during the bachelorette party. Please?" Megumi's voice was desperate and strained, and Misao felt her resistance crumbling.

_It's not like I'm getting much done here_, she thought tiredly. Misao had been spending the last hour or so staring blankly at a computer screen and trying to force herself into some semblance of productivity, but her brain was currently staging a system-wide strike and if someone had hooked her up to an EEG machine, nothing would show but a flat line occasionally interrupted by a little hiccup of activity. The thought of going anywhere near Aoshi's house made Misao's stomach tie itself into a bowline and threaten to dislodge the Fritos and Mountain Dew that had been a late lunch, but Megumi had said Aoshi would be out and as long as Misao could avoid the bastard, she could cope with being in his residence for a few hours. And Megumi did sound dangerously close to tears. "Okay," Misao said reluctantly, rubbing her head. "My brain's mush anyway, I guess I need a break."

"You are an angel. Thank you so much," Megumi sighed gratefully into the phone.

"You owe me big. I want lobster, champagne with gold flecks, and imported French truffles tonight," Misao grumbled. "See you at six."

"Thank you again," Megumi said, then hurriedly added, "Oh no, there's another ER patient. I have to go, see you soon." The line went dead and Misao swore tiredly at it before tossing her phone in her purse and pounding her knuckles against her forehead.

"Come on brain, _think_. You _have_ to do this. _Get to work_," she ordered herself and resolutely put her fingers back on the keyboard. Miraculously, a few braincells flickered to life and churned out a sentence that Misao didn't automatically dismiss as constipated fluff. A few more followed and eventually she managed to flog her brain into producing eight fairly logical and vaguely academic-sounding pages. At 4:00, she finally gave up, painfully aware that she needed a thorough scrubbing and fumigation before she was fit company for the night and tiredly dragged herself home to prepare for the bachelorette party.

Driving to Aoshi's house, Misao blared the radio as loud as she could and tried to distract herself with thinking madly about the final stages of her big lab experiment, but her nerves were not fooled nor had they forgotten what had unfolded last time she had visited the house. Sick nausea rolled in her stomach and set her hands quivering in rage, despite her efforts to ignore the clash of recent memories pounding at her frontal lobes. Gritting her teeth, Misao parked outside the house and marched resolutely towards the front door.

Megumi met her with a pale face and a long list of requests, and Misao was soon up to her elbows in silk ribbons and lace alongside Kaoru. By the time they needed to leave the house for the event Shura and Tae had planned, the three women were interconnected by a glistening spiderweb of hot glue strands, bedecked with enough stray glitter to march in a Mardi Gras parade, and cross-eyed from peering intently at what, to Misao, were needlessly complicated and intricate (not to mention rather ugly) centerpieces. She was nursing a headache as the three piled into Megumi's car towards The Nomad, the most exclusive night club in Omaha.

Inside, the pounding music and lights made Misao cringe but that was nothing compared to sickening thud of emotion that slammed into her when Shura sashayed up towards the three women,, waltzing elegantly in sky-high heels and poured into a skin-tight mini dress that on most women would look downright slutty but on Shura managed to look somewhat classy. She swooped down on them in a flurry of air kisses and pats, making a tremendous amount of noise and attracting the eye of every male in a twenty foot radius. Intent on avoiding the Shura bombardment and not quite trusting herself to avoid pummeling the woman into a bloody pulp, Misao started edging towards the bar but to her fury and dismay soon found herself in the damned woman's cross hairs.

"Misao love, how _are_ you?" Shura gushed in a voice dripping with fake sincerity as she airdropped onto Misao. "Oh my god, girl, you look so tired. You poor thing, I've never seen you look so rundown before." Misao cringed and bit her lip in anger as Shura's expensive-smelling perfume invaded her nostrils and a sheet of of expertly-colored hair got her smack in the face.

"Thank God the lawsuit is over. You must be glad to get on with your life, pursue new interests." Shura's smile was like a walking cane hiding a sword in its innards: benign and helpful-looking until you got close enough to realize the truth, and by then it was too late. "Maybe find yourself a man. You know, there are sure to be some cute ones at the wedding. I'll have to see about hooking you up with one, darling. Someone about Kenshin's size would be good – you're such a tiny thing you'd be wasted on a tall man." Shura giggled and gave Misao a little pat on the arm that despite its friendly-seeming nature was akin to a snake goading a baby bunny into running away just so it could have the pleasure of chasing it down and scarfing it alive and terrified.

Misao, however, was no bunny and for a few brief moments, she seriously considered launching herself at Shura and scratching the bitch's face to ribbons, envisioning an all-out catfight rolling across the floor, screams and smacks drowning out the music. Despite Shura's height advantage, she had zero martial arts training and would be a breeze to take down. Misao wanted nothing more than to put a nice shiner on her opponent's eye, something that even Shura's imported makeup couldn't disguise, and rip out a big chunk of her hair; nothing would take Shura down a peg or two like damaging her perfect appearance. Plus, they were surrounded by a lot of men who would probably love nothing better than seeing a good girl brawl, especially if in the course of battle Misao ripped off the two ounces of fabric Shura was passing off as a dress which, given the garment's flimsy appearance, would be quite easy. However, as Misao swept a calculating eye over her opponent and mentally plotted the most effective attack, she realized that most of the people at The Nomad were obviously carrying the absolute latest in cellphone technology and an epic girl battle erupting on the dance floor would inevitably end up as several YouTube posts within minutes, something Misao would be hard-pressed to explain should her new employers stumble upon it. With great control, she spun on her heel and elbowed her way to the bar, grimly intending to test the limits to Megumi's promise and drink the bride-to-be's wallet dry.

Several martinis, a few glasses of champagne, and a long period of time later found Misao being carefully escorted from The Nomad by a worried-looking Kaoru and Megumi, the latter torn between concern for her friend and a panicked fear that said-friend would not be able to keep from emptying the contents of her stomach onto the floor of the car. The two sober women carefully maneuvered their inebriated friend into the car, their lips tight with worry and disapproval. Misao slumped tiredly in the front seat, pulling her legs up on the cushion and leaning her aching head against the headrest. Even though the car was parked, she was convinced it was rocking violently and tilting madly to one side, and she gripped the seat tightly in efforts to keep from pitching over. Her stomach churned, loudly protesting the alcohol and appetizers she had downed and her hearing was slushy; Kaoru and Megumi's voices sounding like they were coming from several feet under water.

_Oh god, why did I drink that much?_ Misao groaned to herself. Not since her brief rebellious period had she downed more than one or two drinks in a sitting. While Megumi had cut her off after two drinks, a bevy of attentive men at The Nomad had made sure that Misao was never without a glass in her hand and she had drunk whatever they had bought her. With her small frame, it didn't take much alcohol to send her reeling and in the last several hours, she had slammed down more than just a few. Her foggy, gin-soaked brain was sluggishly trying to reel in recent memories, and Misao hazily recalled she had spent quite a bit of time dancing wildly, flirting with any male that wandered her way, and guzzling anything alcoholic that happened to get within three feet of her hand. As much as she wanted to disembowel Shura and strangle Aoshi with the woman's entrails, Misao had to admit that her rival certainly knew how to throw a party. Shura had brought along a gaggle of friends and worked the room like a pro, and their initially small group had expanded to include most of the people at The Nomad, many of which were currently stumbling towards their cars in the much the same shape as Misao. Determined to drown her sorrows in manufactured merriment and not give Shura the satisfaction of knowing how much she had been hurt by discovering the unexpected sleepover, Misao had threw herself into the festivities with complete abandon and been the life of the party.

But the party was over and Misao was deeply ruing her bad judgment. The clock was inching past 1:00 a.m. and without the pounding beat of music and the crowded dance floor, Misao's martini-induced energy and liveliness screeched to a halt and her entire body began staging a massive coup. The car slipped through the streets but even the gentle movements of the finely-tuned luxury vehicle kept Misao in constant fear that she was going to redecorate Megumi's upholstery with the varied contents of her stomach. However, the women made it back to the house without incident and by the time they pulled into the driveway, Misao was feeling a trifle better physically. As little as she was able to tolerate large amounts of alcohol, her system was fairly deft at processing it and she had always been able to sober up relatively quickly. However, the sight of Aoshi's house sent her gin-dulled nerves buzzing in alarm and much to her deep dismay, Aoshi himself was standing inside the garage, clearly having returned from an equally long night with the guys and in the process of heading to the house after parking his car. Seeing the women, he stopped and waited for them to enter the garage.

As Megumi maneuvered the car up the driveway, Misao tried to quickly formulate an escape plan but with several strong drinks still cruising in her system and wrecking merry havoc, both mind and body were exceedingly reluctant to cooperate. Luckily, her side of the car was the one farthest away from Aoshi and as the woman disembarked, Misao slipped out as best as her wobbling legs would let her and called over her shoulder, trying not to slur her words. "Soitwas..fun but, butIgottago," throwing a Shura-like finger flutter behind her.

"Misao, you shouldn't be driving..." Megumi said firmly and started towards her friend but Aoshi intercepted the obviously intoxicated female lurching in his garage and stood in her way, his eyebrows set in a hard line.

"Misao," he said, scanning his former client from her blood-shot eyes to her slightly shaky knees. A deep frown crossed his face. "How much have you been drinking?" he questioned evenly.

"Not much. I gotta go," Misao mumbled but Megumi's voice called over the car.

"Too much," the doctor stated firmly but Misao ignored her and continued forward, intent on getting to her vehicle and avoiding Aoshi's disapproving eyes before she punched him, started crying, or possibly did both.

An arm appeared, barring her way, and she pushed at it ineffectively. "Lemmie go," she demanded.

"No," Aoshi said calmly. "You are in no condition to drive."

"Dammit, Aoshi, stop bossing me around all the time," Misao spat out angrily, clawing at him with a hand that had to make a few tentative passes before it found its target. Her keys were dangling in her other hand and suddenly Misao found them efficiently plucked from her fingers.

"You have two choices, Misao," Aoshi said coolly. "Either I drive you back to your house or you stay here for the night and leave in the morning once you are fully sober. But you are not getting behind the wheel of a car. Have I made myself clear?"

"Bastard," Misao cursed at him, then wobbled dangerously as a wave of nausea smacked her in the gut. As she staggered forward, Aoshi caught her, his strong arm solid and firm against her quivering frame. For one second, Misao breathed in his scent deeply, then tears sprang to her eyes and she pushed back, well-trained instincts rearing up against the tide of alcohol. "Fine, have it your way!" she bellowed and tried to march impressively into the house but only managed a clumsy waddle that quickly degenerated into a stumble.

Megumi's cool hand reached under Misao's arm and began guiding her into the house. Misao thought briefly about fighting back but she was vaguely aware that she didn't want to hurt Megumi and by that time the nausea was draining the aggression out of her. The doctor guided her upstairs into her room, and Misao was dimly aware as her one good clubbing outfit was gently pulled off and replaced with something soft and baggy, then a pillow cradled her head and sleep quickly followed.

* * *

><p>The hangover smacked Misao soundly in the face as she blearily raised her head off the pillow and groaned. For one moment, she almost threw up over Megumi's pillow but she gritted her teeth and angrily ordered her empty stomach to keep down whatever remaining mementos of last night it still contained. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall the events of the past evening and groaned again as hazy memories came back to her. Too many empty martini glasses. Shura's catty smile like a knife in the dark. Aoshi's disapproving eyes boring into her. Strange men angling to press against her as she twisted chaotically on the dance floor.<p>

Carefully turning her head less a too-quick movement snap it off at the neck and sent it rolling across the floor, Misao focused her bleary eyes on the clock and gasped to see 9:24 staring back. She hadn't slept this late in months. _Gramps is gonna kick my ass,_ she thought. _I told him I'd be out late but I didn't let him know I got stuck here. He'll be mad I didn't call and furious when I come home obviously hung over. And when he's done killing me, I gotta get to campus and get back to that stupid lab experiment. Which, since I have a mother of a hangover, I will probably conclude by accidentally blowing up the lab. _

With supreme effort, Misao put her feet on the floor experimentally and was mildly relieved to discover the floor was reassuringly stable and solid under her feet. _Stupid, stupid, stupid dumbass, Makimachi, _she berated herself._ What the hell made you think alcohol was the solution to anything? You proved it was not about twelve years ago, idiot. Why don't you ever learn? _Retrieving her clothes from the floor, she carefully pulled them on but left the stilettos off, not yet convinced she could walk a straight line barefoot, let alone in heels. Hoping against hope that Aoshi was not in the house, Misao reluctantly opened the door and winced as bright sunlight from the skylight in the hallway pounded against her eyes like a jackhammer.

Most fortuitously, neither Megumi nor Aoshi was around. Misao's keys were sitting conspicuously on the counter along with a bottle of Gatorade and two aspirins in a paper cup. Misao took a grateful sip, her parched tongue thankful for the hydration and electrolytes, and swallowed the aspirin. After half the bottle was gone, her head stopped spinning so much and she became fairly certain that she would live to tell the tale. _That is, until Gramps gets ahold of me,_ she thought grimly. _Maybe I'll just spend the next couple weeks living on campus. _Enough of her fellow chemical engineering students inhabited the lab around the clock that no one would think it odd if she did. _Nope, better face the music,_ Misao thought to herself and resolutely picked up her keys.

**Author's note: Most happily I have never been on the receiving end of a hangover so I tried to depict Misao's based on what people (namely my once party-hearty mother) have told me. Hopefully I got it right. Read and review, please!**


	12. Ceremony and Confrontation

**Author's note: Here is one more chapter before the conclusion! Misao continues to be hurt and pissed and Aoshi persists in being clueless and puzzled. Can they resolve their misunderstanding? Tune in to the final chapter to find out!**

_Pick up the phone, Misao, or Megumi is going to have my head, _Aoshi sighed as the fourth ring ended and Misao's overly perky voicemail poured in over the speaker. Frustrated, he clicked the end button and slid the Blackberry into his pocket. Around him were the sumptuous, exquisite grounds of Joslyn Castle: regal towers and time-faded stones reared elegantly over his head, tall trees fluttered their branches like Victorian lace fans wielded by cultured beauties, and the lush green sward was artfully arranged with precise rows of white folding chairs and a graceful raised platform swathed in tulle and flowers; in the middle was one tight-faced, rapidly panicking bride-to-be, fuming and glowering in her silk cocktail dress and angrily shaking a bunch of ribbons woven together into what Aoshi privately thought was a particularly ugly replica of a bouquet. Apparently the bizarre object had something to do with wedding shower rituals, and he had been wise enough not to delve too deeply into the topic. It had been enough to find out about the toilet paper wedding dress contest during Megumi's shower. That was clearly more information than Aoshi, as a male, needed to know.

"Where's Misao? She should have been here fifteen minutes ago!" Megumi demanded to no one in particular for about the fourth time. The rest of the wedding party was spread out across the grass and on the platform, chattering happily and oohing over the scenery while cheerfully ignoring Megumi's steadily growing agitation. As a doctor, she was normally unflappable but the stress of planning an elaborate wedding strains the nerves of the most steady of women and Megumi was rapidly losing grip on her composure. Aoshi tried to give his sister a reassuring smile, but the same question was also chewing at the back of his mind. _It's not like Misao to be late,_ he thought with a touch of irritation and the beginning pangs of concern. In fact, Misao had been scrupulously punctual to every court appearance and meeting he had arranged and had been quick at returning his calls during their battle with Williamson University. Tardiness was not a character trait she possessed.

The again, it was not like Misao to come stumbling home oozing gin from every pore, or at least as far as she had indicated. Aside from the brief spell of youthful indiscretion, Misao had given all evidence of being an upright, diligent young adult with no personal faults more serious than a perchance for staging impromptu burlesque shows in front of an all-female audience, something Aoshi thought rather odd but harmless as long as no males were involved. With Megumi's warm praise of Misao's character and his own interactions with her, Aoshi had developed a deep respect for the young woman but his high opinion of her had been unsettled last week when she had lurched from Megumi's car, hiccuping and clearly six sheets to the wind.

Aoshi frowned heavily on drunkenness, clearly remembering the admonitions of his martial arts instructor, "You get drunk, you negate all your training and can't protect yourself or anyone else. Remember that." Aoshi had kept the lesson in his mind and his hands away from the bottle, never going beyond one or two drinks. It pained him in particular to see women drinking and with Misao's tiny frame, a few drinks would both knock her off her feet and make it appallingly easy for someone else to do so. That and with her trying get behind the wheel of her car and drive home: Aoshi scowled at the memory but his attention was diverted as a small, black-haired figure suddenly appeared and began galloping across the grass towards the raised platform.

"Sorry, sorry, in the middle of a lab experiment. Got here as soon as I could," Misao said in a rush as she hurried up the aisle, her appearance in stark contrast to the rest of the wedding party members. Most everyone on Megumi's side were in dressy casual while on Sano's side of the party, denim reigned supreme and half-buttoned dress shirts were in profusion. Misao, however, was sporting a rather wrinkled pair of shorts, a faded t-shirt, bright orange flip flops, and a mass of dark hair pulled into a messy ponytail with a pencil jutting out from its center. Her pale face was denuded of any makeup, and dark circles lurked under her eyes. A few sheets of crumpled paper heavily scribbled over with rather mystic-looking formulas peeked out of one pocket and a smear of something red, hopefully non-toxic, streaked across her neck.

Out of the corner of his eye, Aoshi spotted Megumi inhaling deeply and he surmised his frazzled sister was smothering the urge to chew Misao out for being late, but the bride-to-be simply cupped her hands together and began calling out in a somewhat calm voice, "Okay, we're all here. Places everyone! Let's get this rehearsal together." The chattering wedding party was difficult to herd into formation lines but with the help of the minister, an older man who was clearly a seasoned ranger in the business of nuptial celebrations, people were corralled, directed, and prodded into place.

As various conversations were broken up and some order was formed from the moderate chaos happily thronging the elegant grounds, Aoshi overheard Shura's loud voice through the babble of voices, "You know, darling, I still think that arranging the attendants according to height would look more aesthetically pleasing..."

"Shura, it's too late to make any changes," Megumi interrupted impatiently. "Things will be fine. Really, I can't deal with any more unexpected events. We're going according to plans, and that's final." There was a bite to her voice, and Aoshi snorted derisively. No doubt Shura had specific ideas as to which groomsman and bridesmaid should be grouped together to her specific advantage, and he had no intention of escorting Shura down the aisle. In fact, he had spent much of the past hour putting his martial arts training to use and artfully avoiding the woman, but she was persistent and the graceful grounds offered limited spots to hide. Additionally, being taller than everyone else in the wedding party did not lend itself well to stealth.

Pointedly, Aoshi strode up to Misao as the laughing attendants gradually formed themselves into a somewhat organized bunch, but their efforts were greatly hindered by Tsunan and Kaoru's constant volley of good-natured abuse winging directly at Sano and hitting home every time. But the incipient groom was dishing insults right back at them and sending everyone laughing uproariously. That is except Megumi who was inching dangerously close to a colossal pre-wedding meltdown and Misao whose wan, drawn face was pulled inward as she stood stiff and cold, isolated from the crowd and frowning to herself.

Aoshi's forehead wrinkled slightly as he looked down at her. Such body language was quite decidedly atypical Misao behavior, and he wondered if there were any problems with her graduate program that she was worried about. Quietly, he inquired, "How are you, Misao?"

"Stressed and exhausted," Misao responded shortly, bordering on rudely. "Let's get this thing over with." Her body language was screaming _Annoy me and I will decapitate you with your own fist _and she was as chilly as dry ice, not a shred of her normal friendliness and exuberance leaking out from her frozen exterior. Aoshi looked at her closely, trying to discover the root of her ire, but she angrily avoided his eyes and gave all evidence that she had no interest in talking to him. When everyone was maneuvered into place and it was Misao and Aoshi's turn to walk down the aisle, she reluctantly reached out her arm and placed it grudgingly through his, lifting her limb upwards and away from his skin as if the crook of his elbow was harboring a festering boil she was determined to avoid.

Looking down at her, Aoshi felt the frozen chill emanating from her _chi_ and saw the tight line of her lips as she stalked besides him, clearly unhappy at being in his presence. Aoshi frowned to himself. Misao's entire demeanor was entirely uncharacteristic, and he had a lurking premonition that she was still furious with him for taking away her keys last week. _Really, Misao, you're upset that I would not let you get behind the wheel of your car when you could not walk without stumbling? _Remembering how heavily intoxicated she had been, his slight frown deepened._ I expected more from you than this childish fit of sulks after that foolish, not to mention dangerous, stunt you pulled last week. _

Setting his mouth in an equally tight line, Aoshi turned his head from Misao and fixed his eyes forward, pointedly ignoring the clearly pissed-off woman at his side, and deposited her at the end of the aisle with something like relief before striding to stage left and taking his position. The rest of the party made their way to the front and the rehearsal progressed smoothly, but the quietly feuding pair had an equally chilly journey back down the aisle, Misao quickly yanking her arm from Aoshi's and storming away from him the second they hit the last row of chairs.

Despite the animosity silently festering between the two attendants, the rehearsal proceeded smoothly and the minister released everyone from their duties after just one run-through, Sano's attendants quickly switching their attention to anticipating the open bar they had been promised for the rehearsal dinner and everyone jumping back into the conversations they had abandoned. Out of the corner of his eye, Aoshi watched Misao hurry up to Megumi and spill out in a tumble of words, "Megs, sorry but I simply can't go to the rehearsal dinner. I've got to get this experiment done since I'll be out all day tomorrow with the wedding. I'll see you at the salon tomorrow."

A hearty back slap from Sano diverted Aoshi's attention from the two women and by the time he turned back to them, Misao had disappeared and half the crowd had already left the grounds and were unlocking their cars. Perturbed and baffled, Aoshi stalked behind Megumi who, now that the rehearsal had concluded without any catastrophes, seemed a trifle calmer. Unseen, Sano's hand snaked down to give her bottom a fond squeeze which made her jump then take a swipe at him, glowering but clearly flushing with pleasure under the scowl as the tension melted away from her face.

In a noisy caravan of honking horns, the wedding party took off from Joslyn Castle and descended merrily upon Maxine's for the rehearsal dinner, presided over by Megumi and Aoshi's parents who had flown into Omaha two days prior. Aoshi, anticipating the endless amount of wedding-related duties his sister and mother would heap on him prior to the event, had wisely arranged for three days off work, and his instincts served him true. The last two mornings, a jaunty banging at his bedroom door had launched him from the arms of Morpheus just as daylight peaked over the horizon, his terminally early-riser of a mother cheerfully bursting into the room and ripping up the blinds exactly as she had done when he was still living at home. Neither parent had been at the rehearsal, called away by a catering crisis and some transportation issues with the steady flow of relatives that were pouring into Omaha, but they were waiting at Maxine's to welcome the increasingly noisy wedding party and various relatives as they streamed into the door and made a beeline for the bar, pausing briefly to hit up the plates of appetizers situated around the room.

With a somewhat twisted sense of amusement, Aoshi was privately looking forward to seeing how his normally quiet, conservative parents would react to Sano's collection of lively, decidedly non-conformist friends who were streaming into the room, the tails of their untucked dress shirts flying free with rolled sleeves and unbuttoned collars unveiling a profusion of tattoos. However, having spent enough time with their future son-in-law to gather a fairly accurate impression of his background and tastes, Aoshi's parents seemed remarkably nonplussed with the eclectic combination of people inhabiting the room and welcomed everyone equally. In fact, his mother Toki was heavily marinated in wedding-related adrenaline and uncharacteristically lively. Aoshi was rather surprised to see his mother freely give a few hugs to old friends of Megumi and greet everyone warmly.

Shura, however, was a different picture. From the other side of the room, Aoshi watched in mild amusement as the dratted woman pounced enthusiastically on his parents and burst into her normal behavior of hair whipping and high-pitched gushes of enthusiasm, no doubts in attempts to impress. Although she had been friends with Megumi for years, Shura had never meet their parents before, and she was clearly determined not to let an opportunity pass. Much to his delight, his parents gave Shura equally incredulous looks poorly disguised as polite interest and began edging away slightly before Tsunan's arm suddenly snaked itself around Shura's neck and the other arm pressed a glass of champagne into her animated hand.

A voice spoke at Aoshi's elbow. "I convinced Tsunan it was part of his duties as best man to make certain all the bridesmaids were amply attended to, and since Kaoru is with me and Tae is currently involved in what looks like a mild flirtation with Geoff..." The redhead trailed off with a smirk as Aoshi sneaked a look in Tae's direction. Last he heard, the maid of honor had called off her most recent relationship but if her soft doe eyes and flustered expressions were any clue, the usher (standing with one hand propped against the wall Tae was in front of and leaning into her slightly) was helping her speedily recover from any residue heartache she was suffering. Most fortuitously, Tsunan was steering Shura towards the bar and, with luck, would keep her occupied and out of everyone's hair for the remainder of the evening's event.

Relieved, Aoshi turned his attention back to the wedding party but as the guests kicked into high gear and filled the room with laughter and noise, his thoughts kept returning to Misao with the persistence of a moth circling an electric light. Remembering her tight, angry expression and the coldness drifting out of every pore, he felt irritation and a sense of disappointment coursing through him. _If she is childish and irresponsible enough to be nursing a grudge because I would not let her drive intoxicated, then perhaps it is best she did not come to the party, _he groused to himself. Aoshi had been looking forward to introducing Misao to his parents and a few weeks ago had carefully directed a vague reference to his mother about "someone you might like to meet at the wedding", hoping with an unfounded optimism that Toki would not blow the comment out of proportion which she promptly did. He had a lingering suspicion that Megumi had been supplying their mother the details Aoshi was not exactly forthcoming with, and no doubt Toki was eagerly scanning the throng to spot a likely candidate for the object of Aoshi's interest. For a brief, un-Aoshi like moment, he amused himself by imagining the shock his mother had undergone if she had thought Shura was the one he was talking about.

A jovial arm suddenly wrapped around his neck and began towing him forward; Aoshi fought against the trained urge to dislocate the arm and beat the owner senseless with it but common sense told him that his sister and mother would crucify him if the groom had to attend his own wedding via wheelchair, so Aoshi let his imminent brother-in-law drag him towards the loudest knot of people and force him to be merry. Something alcoholic was shoved into Aoshi's hand as two of his teenage cousins gave him friendly jabs in the ribs and immediately delved into their endless supply of lawyer jokes.

Despite the distractions and worries related with both weddings and incomprehensible females, Aoshi found himself enjoying the festivities which would have lasted into the wee hours if the mother of the bride hadn't insisted on dragging Megumi home for a night of proper rest, something that was hampered by the assortment of relatives and friends camping out in Aoshi's house. Besieged with host duties, Aoshi finally crashed into bed somewhere near midnight and spent a fitful night being serenaded with a recital of Nasal Sonata in B Flat Minor, courtesy of his cousin Ryan who was sprawled out on an air mattress at the foot of his bed and snoring robustly.

Before it was technically dawn, a rousing clatter of dishes and the smell of coffee permeated the house as Toki brightly mustered her reluctant troops while at the same time admonishing everyone to be quiet and let Megumi sleep a little longer. As her groggy son staggered tiredly into the kitchen, the mother of the bride pressed a cup of coffee in his hand and gave him his morning marching orders. Aoshi exchanged long-suffering looks with Ryouta, his father, and silently pledged that he would secretly elope for his own wedding and afterwards simply show up on his parents' doorstep with his new wife. But the demands of Megumi's wedding left Aoshi little time to ponder his own hypothetical nuptials; the morning and early afternoon sped past on turbo drive as various wedding party members fulfilled their duties and began showing up at Joslyn Castle for the event.

It is an established fact that even with the most intricate of planning, no wedding can escape having at least a few minor catastrophes to content with: Sano and Megumi's nuptials were no exceptions. An usher's boutonniere mysteriously disappeared for several hours and was later discovered inside an empty doughnut box, the six year old flower girl adamantly refused to wear her dress shoes and only conceded when the bride appealed to her directly, Tae accidentally swallowed a bug as she exited her car, and the caterers stumbled while carrying the cake and narrowly missed dropping it. Yet somehow at 2:00, the groomsmen found themselves dressed, upright, and reasonably prepared and standing at the foot of a graceful stone staircase waiting for the bridesmaids to descend from their inner chamber and join them. Sano and Megumi had arranged a few private moments together before the three hour pre-wedding photo blitz, leaving their attendants to make their way to the photographer's side.

As the four women reached the stairs and began stepping elegantly down towards the ground floor, Aoshi had eyes only for Misao. The fitted lavender dressed sleeked smoothly over her curves and set off the creamy lushness of her skin while her dark hair was swept up into an elegant arrangement of curls and sparking ornaments, adding a few inches of regal height to her bearing. Smoky makeup magnified her eyes and deepened them to an exotic smolder while bright sunlight from the open windows glittered off the chandelier earrings and simple necklace adorning her neck and ears. The tight tiredness had vanished from her face and been replaced with a classic, dignified elegance but as Aoshi stepped forward to greet her, he saw her heavily rimmed eyes narrow slightly.

Aoshi's mouth lost its smile, but he persisted nevertheless, and moved to greet the obviously peeved young woman. Mustering some warmth in his voice, he said, "Hello Misao. You look simply stunning." To his frustration, Misao simply mouthed a thanks and stalked regally across the floor towards the door, almost floating with gracefulness despite the high heels and leaving an icy chill in her wake. Stung and baffled, Aoshi felt a brief spasm of fury well up in him as he stared angrily at Misao's retreating frame but even in his ire he could not help but admire the way her dress clung temptingly to her rounded derriere and the enticing swish of her hips. _Dammit, woman, stop being so stubborn and bull-headed, _he fumed internally, torn between indignation and desire. For a brief moment, he contemplated slinging the diminutive female over his shoulder and carting her off somewhere private where he could either bawl her out or kiss her until the frozen chill melted, or possibly both. However, the photographer was starting to bark out orders so Aoshi abandoned his plans and stalked angrily towards the door.

The photography session lasted, according to Aoshi's best calculations, approximately seventeen hours under the warm May sun and involved at least ten thousand poses. He knew his sister well enough to know that she would put the kibosh on any too unusual photo staging setups, particularly involving recent trends such as the entire wedding party leaping merrily up in the air clicking their heels together or tacky shots of the groomsmen standing with their pants around their ankles. Mercifully, the photographer was well-acquainted with Joslyn Castle's grounds and replete with a multitude of elegant and artistic settings, angles, and concepts for the endless pictures taking up memory on her camera. Obedient to commands, the men sweated uncomfortably in their tuxedos and galloped gratefully towards air conditioning whenever the outside shots were done and the photographer wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous interior to provide artistic backgrounds. Guests began arriving and the clock raced forward as the wedding hour approached.

Throughout the photo shoot, Aoshi had been stealing surreptitious glances at Misao but each peek gave evidence that the petite young woman was entirely out of sorts. While she smiled dutifully for the pictures and talked quietly with some of the other party members, her artfully made-up face was devoid of her normally animated expression and all too easily fell into a slight frown if she was not conversing with someone. Finally tiring of her, Aoshi pointedly ignored his partner and when the entire wedding party assembled and waited on the perimeter for the opening cues of the music, he stiffly took his position next to Misao, each one glaring in opposite directions as they stepped forward in grudging unity. With chilly courtesy, Aoshi offered his arm and Misao took it with equally cold grace as they turned their faces towards the arched platform in front of them where Sano stood grinning in anticipation and dashingly handsome in his tuxedo.

The long march down the aisle was difficult due to the endless flashing of the camera and the risk of frostbite from the miniature ice queen at his side. Depositing Misao at the front of the platform with a sense of gratitude, Aoshi stepped up and took his place, tiredly ruminating on the ridiculous customs and needless bother and fuss of a wedding, calculating its expenses both in money and time, and generally indulging in a fit of internal grousing as the rest of the wedding party made their way up the aisle and waited expectantly for the bride's entry.

As the music changed and Megumi appeared on the arm of Ryouta, glowing in radiance and emanating joy from every inch of her being, Aoshi watched as Sano's face softened to a look of sheer wonder, then a huge smile spread across his face. The guests stood to their feet as father and daughter made their way down the aisle, and a quick look at his mother told Aoshi that Toki's face was wet with happy tears. His internal grumbling vanished as a sudden conviction struck him that every last second and penny that had been spent over the past year on this bothersome event had been unassailable worth it; pride welled up in him to see his glorious sister, like a fairy princess, step forward to claim the arm of her groom.

The wedding ceremony passed without fault, everything falling into its well-ordered place, and Aoshi had almost forgotten Misao's coldness towards him until she stepped forward to take his arm for the walk back down the aisle. As he coolly lifted his eyes to her face, he was surprised to see that Misao looked uncannily like she was trying to hold back tears, and not joyful ones. But the tears were speedily replaced with a spasm of anger that crossed her face as she saw him and the coldness clanged back into place like a shield. Puzzled and freshly irritated, Aoshi escorted her back down the aisle where she slipped from him like a shadow and disappeared into the throng.

Eventually the crowd of guests and wedding party members flocked inside the cool elegance of Joslyn Castle's exterior towards the sumptuous dining room for the wedding dinner. Relieved to be next to someone who didn't show evidence of wanting to slip ground glass into his roast beef, Aoshi gratefully took his seat next to Kenshin at the wedding table and engaged his friend and client in a round of shop talk, resisting the urge to quietly ask the red-head if he knew why the hell Misao was being such an uncharacteristic snob. Tuxedo clad servers dipped expertly to and fro and a elegant dinner progressed merrily, occasionally interrupted by speeches, Sano's compatriots ensuring that the grand surroundings and classy setting didn't get in the way of a rousing party and a few light-hearted roasts for good measure.

When dessert plates had been cleared and the band started warming up for the after dinner dance, the tall windows were showing soft darkness as dusk gave way to early evening. Guests rose to their feet and began moving around the room, talking and laughing enthusiastically while the bride and groom managed to simultaneously mingle among their guests and make everyone feel welcome without really taking their eyes off each other.

As Aoshi's eyes swept the crowd, he spotted Misao's slender frame slipping quietly through the bodies and towards the door leading to the grounds. _Where are you going, you infernal woman?_ he thought in consternation, then set his coffee cup down firmly. Like it or not, Misao was going to tell him what he had done to earn her wrath and why she was behaving in such an uncharacteristic, not to mention highly unpleasant manner. Rising to his feet, the tall lawyer wove quickly through the mass of celebrating friends and family and strode purposefully out of the castle, silently following the retreating bridesmaid.

**Author's note: most unfortunately the two wedding photo trends I mentioned are actually true. Take a look at the website The Wedinator to see examples. However, most happily the Joslyn Castle is real – look it up on Google Image because it is unbelievable! **


	13. Discoveries and Declarations

**Author's note: And here is the rousing conclusion to this merry romp of a story. What do you think? It's been great but there is more fanfiction to write and a novel to start. I finally have a good novel idea and this one is going to be steampunk – look for further author notes in later fanfic chapters to find out more!**

Misao carefully let out a shaky breath as clenched-up tension in every muscle clamored for an escape route. Her eyes, however, were dry, too confused by the welter of emotions swirling in her innards to decide if crying was the most appropriate course of action at the moment. The wedding had been far more emotionally exhausting than she had expected, and it had taken all of her energy and determination to move through the day and evening with dignity and composure. Misao had avoided Aoshi as much as she could, but being partnered together for the ceremony made it impossible to entirely keep from his presence. She hadn't missed the tight anger of his mouth when he looked at her, and she had taken cruel pleasure in giving him the iciest scorn she could muster every time he got within a twenty foot radius, but the knee-tremblingly handsome figure he cut in his perfect tuxedo had made the whole damned event even more unbearable. That and the irritation of Shura buzzing around him as much as she could, although Misao had noticed that Tsunan had paid the dratted woman close attention and had been particularly attentive to her.

Misao wouldn't know it until later but Kaoru had sniffed out something troubling that was percolating between Misao, Aoshi, and Shura and had been perceptive enough to bring it to Kenshin's attention who had tactfully assigned Tsunan to Shura-watching duties. All Misao knew was that she hurt from her piled-up hair to her glittery high-heeled sandals, emotional ache manifested as physical pain. Dully, she wondered if she had fulfilled her bridesmaid duties enough to beg release from Megumi so she could go home and cry until she fell asleep from exhaustion. For now, she was thankful for the moment of silence alone in the garden and half-wished she felt well enough to truly appreciate its splendor. But even the luxuriant blooms and romantic stone walls could not lift her spirits out of the depths of their sorrow.

A noise caught her ear and to her alarm and dismay, she saw Aoshi's tall, elegant frame moving straight towards her, the full moon and sensuous surroundings only emphasizing his masculine attractiveness and making her heart skip a beat despite the near panic and defiance his appearance instantly spurred in her. But his face was set in a frown and there was a cast to his eyes that sent her martial arts-trained instincts clamoring in alarm. _Oh shit, _Misao thought frantically and automatically drew herself up for a confrontation.

* * *

><p>The moon washed cream over Misao's skin and magnified her smoky eyes as an errant breeze sent curls waving around her neck and tugged enticingly at the hem of her dress. Aoshi had never seen her so beautiful before and standing in the midst of a profusion of flowers with a castle as a backdrop, she seemed an elegant maiden out of some fairy tale. If he hadn't followed her out to the gardens intent on interrogating her as to why she was acting so cold and angry, he would had probably stopped and gaped foolishly before sputtering out something fairly incomprehensible; however, Aoshi was too bent on a thorough cross-examination of the enchanting creature before him to be dissuaded by her charms, as murderously as they were being presented to him. Misao's full lower lip was jutted out defiantly and she drew herself to her full height, putting the top of her head about two inches below his armpit. One foot shifted and to his astonishment, Misao settled herself into fighting stance; high heels, constricting dress, jewelry and all.<p>

Undissuaded, Aoshi strode forward until he was towering over the lovely, defiant, infuriatingly bewildering female and said in a voice that was reasonable yet still unmistakably peeved, "Misao, apparently I have done something to significantly upset you. I would appreciate you telling me so that I may apologize and make amends for where I have erred." He bit back the urge to add _"and I expect an explanation as to why you have snubbed me and basically acted like a cold, inscrutable jerk the past two days." _As much as he wanted to include the addendum, he decided that his original message had conveyed his meaning and further elaboration would likely do nothing but incite retribution.

Misao bit her lip angrily as her lovely face twisted in anger but she said nothing. Aoshi let a moment or two pass, then finally added. "If you are upset because I took away your car keys last week..."

"No, I'm not mad about that," Misao said slowly. "It was stupid of me to get plastered and even stupider to try to drive, and I'm glad you stopped me."

"Then what?" Aoshi demanded. "You've not acted _at all_ like yourself the past two days and I refuse to believe it is simply due to graduation stress. _What _is wrong, Misao?" he asked pointedly, fighting the urge to yell. Aoshi did not normally let emotion cloud his speech but seeing as he currently wanted nothing more than to give Misao a good, hard shake until the truth spilled out, it was quite difficult keeping his voice restrained.

Slender, graceful arms wrapped around Misao as she crossed them over her front, and Aoshi was irritated to find that the action pushed her breasts upward, demanding his attention, but he kept his eyes on her face. "It's just..." she said hesitantly. Aoshi waited expectantly but Misao's heavily lined eyes slanted to her right, then swung back to glare at him. "It's just that I misunderstood some things," she said tersely, giving him an angry look.

"What things?" Aoshi pressed.

Misao's mouth pulled into a tight line. "I didn't realize you and Shura were an item."

Incredulous surprise sent his eyes blinking as Aoshi gave Misao a befuddled look and his forehead creased into a deep frown. "Shura and I? What on _earth_ gave you that idea?" he said more harshly than he meant.

Misao's scowl deepened and her voice grew sarcastic as it crept up a few notches. "Well, let's see. You know I think it was two weeks ago when I showed up at your house on a Saturday and she answered the door in about three cents worth of lingerie saying she was cooking the both of you breakfast. That ring a bell at all?"

"Two weeks ago?" Aoshi repeated, his brain riffling through the previous fortnight's worth of memories to unearth the correct reference. "That? Shura was over that evening helping Megumi with wedding preparations. They ordered Chinese but Shura developed a mild case of food poisoning and was too sick to go home. Megumi had night shift so she asked me if I would monitor Shura for the evening. That's all."

Misao's angry scowl widened to a look of confusion as Aoshi peered down at her narrowly. "_That_ is what you were upset about? Misao, I barely talked with Shura the entire evening and I left fairly early in the morning for work. Absolutely _nothing_ happened. You seriously thought..." Suddenly, a more complete memory rose to his mind, and he recalled the skimpy robe and slip Shura had been prancing around his kitchen in and the elaborate breakfast she had ready on the table.

_Oh_, Aoshi thought in dawning comprehension and dismay as he realized just how it must have looked when Shura had answered the door. No doubt she would have overplayed the event and happily encouraged Misao's misinterpretation of what had actually happened. All at once he felt a touch of guilt for being an insensitive jerk towards Misao, anger with Shura for implying that impropriety had transpired between them, and frustration that Misao had stayed silent for two weeks without attempting to address the issue. The way she was glaring at him murderously was incontestable evidence that she had been itching to say something or possibly a entire script of somethings, preferably accompanied by several well-placed kicks to his groin. In fact, with Misao's direct manner, Aoshi was frankly baffled she had kept the entire issue to herself all this time without saying anything.

Muttering an expletive under his breath, Aoshi raked his fingers through his hair and said tightly, "Misao, why didn't you say anything? I could have easily explained the situation..."

"Well, what the hell did you expect me to say?" Misao exploded, eyes flaming and curls whipping like scorpion tails around her neck as her hands balled into fists. "Something like, 'Oh hey, Aoshi, you're an adult and all that and at perfect liberty to bang whoever you like but I sure as hell wish you'd have better taste than to'..."

Without warning, Aoshi's mouth slammed against Misao's tight, angry lips as his arms crushed her against him and one hand reached up to cup the back of her head, tilting it upwards to align with his. Caught off guard and still furious, Misao struggled for a moment but his arms refused to budge and his insistent lips ignored her brief attempts to avoid their touch; after a few seconds of resistance, desire quickly overswept anger as Misao abandoned her struggle and began hesitantly returning his kisses.

With something like a growl, Aoshi plucked Misao off the ground and deposited her on a convenient stone ledge that elevated her up to his level, better to more fully kiss her without having to stoop, and took full advantage of her new height. When he finally pulled away reluctantly, Misao's elaborately coiffed hair was beginning to tumble around her shoulders, one sandal had fallen off while the other one dangled from a toe, and her dramatic makeup was smudged, Aoshi instantly ruling that her newly tousled appearance only made her more irresistible.

Panting slightly, Aoshi slid his hands down to the small of Misao's back and looked at her pointedly, his face mere inches from hers. "Is _that_ sufficient evidence that you are the object of my affections and not anyone else?" he questioned, his voice a touch raspy with emotion.

Misao blinked a bit and tried to regain her breath. Aoshi's normally calm, inscrutable eyes were glowing with a hot shimmer and his fingers against her back were like fire burning through the silk of her dress. His bow tie was crooked and his normally perfect hair was falling in waves across his forehead in a way that just begged for Misao's fingers to brush it back into place or, even better, leave it there to be admired. Riding sky-high on sudden elation, Misao was still sufficiently in control of her facilities to flash him a wicked grin and respond, "I don't know, Counselor. I think that counts as coerced evidence and would be ruled as inadmissible."

"Then I shall be more scrupulous in my fact-finding," Aoshi said quietly and lowered his mouth to hers again, this time more gently. When they slowly broke contact a second time, Misao's other shoe had joined the first in the grass and a dreamy smile had replaced her furious expression. Aoshi pulled her into his chest and tucked her head under his chin, pressing into her but after a few moments Misao began to squirm. As much as she hated to leave his arms even temporarily, a sharp pebble was digging into her rear, Aoshi was unintentionally leaning hard enough against her legs to restrict circulation in her feet, and it was a tad uncomfortable bending forward at the waist into him. Pushing away from Aoshi a bit, Misao slid off the ledge as he watched with momentary puzzlement, then understanding as her feet sank into the lush grass and she scooted happily back into his arms. Without the altitude of her heels, Misao felt even shorter next to his tall leanness, but Aoshi didn't seem to mind at all that her head was somewhere in between his sternum and navel.

For long minutes, neither said anything, simply reveling in each others embrace under a glowing moon and secluded in a romantic garden, happily ignoring the faint sounds of the roaring party carrying on inside the castle. Finally Aoshi broke the silence. Stroking her rapidly disintegrating coiffure, he said quietly, "I'm so sorry, Misao."

"Mmm?" Misao inquired dreamily. She had a vague impression that a few moments ago she had wanted to decapitate Aoshi with his own kodachi but pressed so comfortably against him and buzzing with the endorphins his passionate kisses had released, she could not remember precisely why and was currently too blissfully happy to investigate the matter further.

"The past two weeks must have been quite difficult for you, especially with all the stress you have faced with the lawsuit and graduate school, and to be under the impression that..." Aoshi stopped and his arms tightened briefly around her. Misao's kiss-befuddled brain sparked briefly to life and cross-referenced his comments for a moment before she recalled what the heck he was babbling about. Blazing anger rose to the surface but readjusted its trajectory to aim at a single target. "You must have been quite upset," Aoshi continued.

"I wasn't upset," Misao responded and turned her head up to look at him. His forehead wrinkled in a puzzlement as she glared at him darkly. "I was effin' _furious_," she snarled. "Upset doesn't begin to cover it."

"And you had every right to be," Aoshi said quietly and his voice took on a hard edge. "I _will_ be speaking to Shura about this and make it abundantly clear that I have absolutely no interest in succumbing to her dubious charms. And I will also be speaking with Megumi. I have never quite understood why Megumi has continued her friendship with Shura, and this incident is clear proof that Shura does not have the character I would like to see in someone whom my sister has placed her trust in."

Misao said nothing but she couldn't resist an internal squeal of wicked delight at the thought of Shura facing a quietly furious and indignant Aoshi. She happily indulged this thought, but his voice interrupted her gleeful imagination. Clearing his throat, Aoshi questioned somewhat hesitantly, "I take it that this entire misunderstanding was the reason why I found you stumbling around stone-drunk in my garage last week?"

"Yes," Misao gave a little groan in remembrance. "I'm sorry, Aoshi, that was totally stupid. I only got trashed because I was so miserable and stressed out and Shura was wiggling around in this skanky little dress being all smug and condescending. It was either start a humungous cat fight on the dance floor and rip her hair out or do the adult thing and get wasted at the bar. Although looking back on it, probably beating the crap out of her would have saved a lot of people the time." Tilting her head up, Misao looked him intently in the eyes. "I swear, Aoshi, I haven't gotten drunk since I went through that stupid phase in high school."

"I believe you," Aoshi said with conviction. "And given the circumstances, I don't blame you. While I normally don't advise alcohol as way to deal with troubling issues, I can't say that I wouldn't have resorted to similar measures if, well," he sniffed in mild amusement, "I had come to your house one morning to find your grandfather gone and Tsunan greeting me at the door in a bathrobe."

Pausing for a moment, Aoshi continued in the voice of someone who knows the answer, "You didn't tell Megumi?". Misao shook her head. "Tae?" Another shake. "Kaoru...or should I just stop there?" Misao shrugged, rolling her hands in a gesture of defeat.

"_Misao_," Aoshi sighed tiredly. "While I admire your determination and self-sufficient attitude, _must_ you be so damned stubborn all the time?"

"Look, I..." Misao began to yell, then echoed his sigh. In a softer voice, she said, "I didn't want to cause a huge stink right before the wedding. Megumi had enough crap to deal with; she didn't need a reality show drama erupting in the middle of her wedding party. I figured I could survive for two weeks, then I wouldn't have to see you again."

A kiss stopped her and made her close her eyes in pleasure and when she opened them again, Aoshi's eyes were soft with a warm glow. "Thank you, Misao," he said and lifted his hands up to cup her face. "You infernal, stubborn, baffling woman, I thank you for my sister's sake. Just...just promise me this: if you are ever upset with me again, for God's sake tell me. And," he added, peering at her with a glimmer of sternness, "Stop trying to do absolutely everything on your own. I fully intend to court you if you'll let me and I don't want to spend the bulk of our relationship having to badger you for information every time you are inexplicably exhausted or cranky."

"I think I can live with that," Misao grinned at him. She was so unbelievably happy that she was half afraid she was going to burst into tears at any moment which would no doubt lead to another interrogation. Smiling to herself, she pictured Aoshi's brow furrowing in confusion as he stared at her and rumbled, _Now what on earth are you crying for, you baffling female?_ Wishing she was tall enough to ward off any incipient questions with a kiss, Misao settled for ducking her head back against Aoshi's chest and letting out a happy sigh. He snuggled her back into his solid frame and contented silence fell over them once again.

Finally Aoshi rubbed her shoulder blade in a bracing sort of way and said resignedly, "We should probably be getting back."

"Yeah, they're probably wondering what we're up to," Misao agreed, wrinkling her nose slightly at the thought of plunging back into the noisy celebration. Staying in the garden entwined in Aoshi's arms was an infinitely better option, but the wedding wasn't over yet and there were likely more pictures, toasts, and flying bouquets to be dealt with before the event was finally done.

"Oh, I intend to raise ample speculation to that question," Aoshi said, a rare glint of humor winking in his eye.

"Really? Do tell," Misao's lips twisted into a teasing pout as she looked at him.

"Yes. First, I will formally introduce you to my parents as my girlfriend. Next, I intend to dance with you the rest of the evening, except for two songs which you must release me to dance with my sister and mother. Finally I plan to kiss you whenever inclination and opportunity arise which will likely be often." He smiled down at her, looking so irresistibly handsome in his tuxedo that Misao was tempted to point out he had ample opportunity staring him in the face.

Instead she pulled back a little and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, Counselor, you've made a very persuasive case. Shall we leave the jury to deliberate?"

"Oh no, this is a bench trial," Aoshi said smoothly. "There is no jury."

"Well then, the judicial ruling is that the course of action is approved," Misao said mock-seriously. "Shall we dismiss the court?"

Aoshi laughed, a full, rich sound that filled Misao like hot cider, warming her to her toes. She had never seen him so animated before, and the smile on his face and in his eyes wiped away all sadness and tension of the past several weeks. Abundant, glowing happiness filled her and set her on her toes, making her feel as if she could float happily on the soft breeze.

Aoshi reached for her hand, "Come." She gladly followed his lead and the two stepped across the lush grass, moonlight shining on the night-darkened trees as a breath of summer air caught the scent of flowers and sent it dancing around the pair, whispering of the future's possibilities and rich with the heady perfume of love.


End file.
